


Blood Red Silver

by CuteCat213



Series: Painful Lessons, Priceless Rewards [1]
Category: Soul Eater
Genre: AU-Non-partner weapons/self-manifesting weapons/Meisters are their own weapons, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Minor Tsubaki/BlackStar that's not focused on and therefor doesn't belong in the pairings list, Past Minor Character Death (Chapter Nine), Romance, fighting scenes, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-01-24 12:58:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 92,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1606022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuteCat213/pseuds/CuteCat213
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maka and Crona were doing just FINE. Sure they sported more bruises than not, and had to do things that made their skin crawl, but they knew how to deal with their parents. Now, parents arrested, stolen from their house, and taken in by the very school that did it, they're desperate to keep their heads above water. Then she meets HIM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

0000

Maka looked down the empty hall warily and shut the door, putting the chair from the desk under the knob for lack of a lock, the only lock the door had was on the hallway side to keep them in, not to keep others out. The trembling form of her brother (Step-brother? Half-brother? It didn't matter with as much as they'd gone through together.) pressed against her back. She tried to be better, to be the brave one, but her shaking betrayed her: she was just as terrified.

It was worrisome when their parents got along  _well_ , when the sounds of their moaning and grunting leaked through the thin walls, when they violated the siblings' fragile sanctuary with that lascivious gleam in their eyes. But when they argued... When they got angry and actively sought out someone or something to take that rage out on... It was so much worse. The majority of the scars and injuries they'd gotten had been when their parents were fighting.

Crona's arms around her middle tightened and she placed her hands over them, "Maka, I'm scared."

She threaded her fingers through his, "W-we'll be fine. We know how to d-deal with this."

He nodded against her back, more reassured than she was. They both jumped at the sound of something -no, someone- hitting a wall in the hallway, "You useless bitch!"

Their fingers tightened until they turned white. Spirit, then, was the instigator this time. They flinched as one when their mother slapped the wall she'd been thrown into, "Is that all you've got,  _dear_?" she sneered.

Crona whimpered against Maka's back. That wasn't Mizune's angry voice. This was worse than them fighting, the only thing that was worse than them fighting: when they wanted to 'play rough'. Crona went down with his sister, both of them still desperately clinging to each other, when Maka's legs gave out on her. They moved back until they were pressed against the side of the bed, tensed impossibly when the door shuddered with the force of a blow.

There was a huge crash and they clutched at one another, waiting for the blows to rain down. When nothing happened, they dared to peek and saw that the door was still there, still in its frame and, miraculously, still closed. The shouting out in the hall got louder, and for the first time in memory, it wasn't their parents shouting at each other or anybody yelling at them. It sounded like their parents were arguing viciously with someone that had... broken down the front door?

Then they flinched as the bedroom door once again shuddered from a hit, unable to hold in twin yelps. There was more arguing, too many voices to make out any words, before it got eerily quiet. It was less startling trying to knock the door off its hinges than the surprisingly gentle rap that sounded against the wood. They shared a confused glance before zeroing their eyes back on the door.

"Hello?" it was a woman's voice, a soft, gentle voice, as careful as the knock had been, "If you're in there, please answer me."

If she'd known he was going to, Maka would have tried to stop him before he could, but Crona called out, "H-hello?"

The voice sounded pleased, "Hello there. May I come in, please?"

"No!" Maka pressed back, squishing her brother against the side of the bed, not that he complained, shaking in terror anew.

There was some rustling on the other side of the door, "That's fine. Is it okay if I sit here outside the door?"

Maka fidgeted, "We can't stop you."

A slight pause, "Maybe not, but I'd still like your permission."

Crona clutched her side, whispering, "Maka, I don't know how to deal with someone not breaking the door in..."

 _Me, either._  But she just held his hand reassuringly, she just wasn't quite sure which of them she was reassuring. The silence stretched, the woman on the other side waiting patiently until Maka felt compelled to answer, "You can stay."

"Thank you very much. That means a lot to me."

"Why?"

The silence returned, "Do you know why I'm here?"

"No."

"Do you know what a Kishin Egg is?"

"A human that's strayed from the righteous path and started turning into a demon, their soul becoming the egg that could hatch a dark god if left alone."

"That's right. I'm surprised you know that. I'm impressed. Would you be surprised if I said that the adults in this house were Kishin Eggs?"

Relaxed by the talking, Maka tensed again, "Our parents aren't Kishin. The demons don't look anything like humans. Who are you? What did you do to our parents?!"

"Shh. It's okay. A person can become, for lack of a better word, infected, by the Kishin's influence. They can become Kishin Eggs without looking like demons, as long as they haven't consumed another human soul."

They were trembling again, "W-what did you do t-to them?"

"We took them away. We're from the DWMA, and it's our job to make sure Kishin Eggs don't hurt people. Have your parents hurt you?"

When she didn't answer, Crona took it upon himself, "Y-yes..."

The voice became... sad, "Then I'm so very sorry we didn't get here fast enough."

Maka didn't understand what made her say what she did, maybe it was how honest and genuine the woman had sounded, "It-it's not your fault. You'd have to have been ten years quicker at least."

If anything, she sounded even more sad, "That long? I'm so, so sorry."

Crona shook his head, "It's not your fault!" he looked at Maka, "I don't know how to deal with someone feeling bad..."

Maka looked back to the door, "Y-you never answered my question."

"Which question is that? I'm afraid I've forgotten."

"Who are you?"

"You're right, it was rude of me not to introduce myself. I'm Medusa. What's your name?"

"...Maka...Maka Albarn."

"I...I'm Crona."

"It's so nice to meet you, Maka and Crona. Can you tell me about your parents? They weren't very happy with us and refused to talk."

Maka shifted uncomfortably, "Um... Papa, his name is Spirit."

"M-mother's name is Mizune."

The voice was so calm, "Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything is helpful."

The siblings shared a look before nodding uncertainly, "Papa's a Death Weapon."

"Mama's a Witch."

There was a sharp breath from the other side of the door, "Medusa?"

"Yes, Maka?"

"What's going to happen to us now?"

"You have to come with me. Not just now, I'll wait until you feel ready to open the door, but we do have to leave."

Crona shook his head, "I don't want to leave! Don't take me from Maka! I don't know how to deal with this!"

"It's okay Crona, no one's going to take you two away from each other."

"Y-you're not?"

"No. If you'd like, you can come live with me, together."

"Even the Little One?"

"Little one? What's that?"

Maka wiggled in place, "Our... our pet. Mizune wanted us to kill it, but we wouldn't. We let it go when she wasn't looking. We got punished badly for that."

"I'm sure the Little One can come live with us, too. You don't have to come out right now, but would you please open the door? I'd like to see the faces of the people I'm going to live with."

Maka didn't remember either of them saying they would go with the woman, but there was no reason  _not to_ , it couldn't be worse than where they were. Together, they got up and made their way over to the door, shaking hands reaching out to dislodge the chair. Crona went back to clinging to her middle as Maka took a deep breath and pulled the door open with a yank, flinching and closing her eyes in expectation of a blow that didn't come.

She winced open her eyes and saw the beautiful woman sitting cross-legged on the floor of the hallway smiling up at her softly, "Hello, Maka."

0000

1111

Maka folded her arms in front of her deficient chest (everyone always said how pathetic it was that her breasts were so small) hiding the white lacy bra that she was wearing. Medusa was gorgeous, with dark blonde hair and shining golden eyes; not at all like her own pale, ash-blonde hair as it brushed over her shoulderblades, or her own too-green eyes. She looked away, "H-hi."

Medusa slowly moved so she was resting on her knees, and took off the thing she was wearing, holding it out to Maka, "You're very pretty, Maka, but I think it's probably best if you had a bit more covered."

It was nothing like she'd ever heard before. It was almost intelligible: everyone she met always told her how ugly she was, how thin, how flat, how scarred... And they always wanted her to take things off, more and more off. This was the first time someone had ever said she was pretty, the first time someone had wanted her to put something on, let alone gave her their own clothes to cover with! She reached out and hesitated, watching the woman until she nodded reassuringly, then took the... the... she didn't even have enough experience with garments and outfits to know what it was.

Seemingly understanding the problem, Medusa spoke, "It's a cloak. Put it around your shoulders, there's a clasp in the front to keep it closed."

It was black, and long enough to cover Maka to her ankles, with a hood that looked like it had white snake eyes. It was almost... cute. And so soft. It wasn't scratchy or uncomfortable like the other things she had to wear sometimes. Her hand clenched around the wonderfully soft material between her fingers and she couldn't stop herself from rubbing her cheek against the fabric on her shoulder.

Medusa's voice was still quiet and soft when she spoke, "Where's Crona?"

Glued to his sister's back, he peeked up over her shoulder under the cloak, "Here." then ducked back down again. As long as Maka was there with him, it was fine. They protected each other, helped each other, as long as they were together it didn't really matter where he was.

The woman smiled, "Would please come out from behind Maka? I can't see you very well from there."

Slowly, so exceptionally slowly, Crona crept out from under the cloak and around to stand beside his sister, hugging her arm to him. He was wearing the long black nightshirt they'd found the last time they were outside, when their parents forgot to unlock the front door for the night. It went down to his feet, with a white collar and three buttons at the top.

It was Crona's, Maka had gotten the sweater they'd found the time before that, though it had more holes in it now than solid parts and was hidden under the mattress.

Medusa stood up, and Maka and Crona flattened themselves against the wall. The adult was careful, though, not to brush against them as she peered inside the room, "Is this your bedroom?"

They both nodded as she went past and looked around the small area. There wasn't much to look at: a desk with a chair, a bed with straps on it, a closet; and that was it. There were no lights, and only one window, that had bars over it. Shaking her head at the travesty, she turned back to the teens, "Are you ready to go now?"

After sharing a look, they nodded shakily, "Yes, Ma'am." She put a hand on each of their shoulders, mindful of how they tensed, and steered them out into the livingroom.

Maka and Crona pressed back against Medusa's hands as they were led into a room full of people. There were three of them, two men and a woman. The woman and one man looked like they could have been siblings, both tan skinned and dark haired, but the last man with silver hair didn't look like anyone they'd ever seen before.

Medusa's grip tightened slightly, "Maka, Crona, this is my team: Nygus, Sid, and Mifune. Guys, this is Maka, and Crona."

1111


	2. Chapter 2

2222

The school, the DWMA, was surprisingly quiet. It should be expected, she supposed, considering it was late summer and most everyone had gone home. Probably for the best anyway, she and Crona weren't exactly ready for crowds of strangers pressing in around them.

The teachers, or the ones they'd met, were rather nice. Mifune was quiet and calm, with a steady voice and seemingly endless patience. Sid was... energetic; yeah, they tended to stay away from him more often than not. Nygus was, in neutral situations, worse than Sid, but something about the two teens seemed to just send her into mother-hen mode; they tended to stay away from her, too...

But then there was Medusa, who was actually the school Nurse instead of a teacher, and whose suite of rooms they were sharing. Medusa was everything their own parents never had been: supportive, empathetic and sympathetic, patient, respectful; a great listener, but she never pressed...

The siblings would have been highly suspicious of someone so seemingly perfect, were it not for having seen the woman's darker side when she'd met with the social workers who'd tried to take the pair from her the day after they'd arrived. The frigid look in the normally warm gold eyes and the shiver-inducing edge in her voice, contrary to belief, had comforted them, especially when it was used to keep the strangers in the sitting room from separating them.

It had been two weeks since then, and they were finally starting to settle in. Their parents being apprehended and held for being 'Kishin Egg Presumptives' by the DWMA, Maka and Crona were legally wards of the school, under the direct supervision of the staff as a whole, technically; and, in practice, Medusa specifically.

And then there was the fact that the two came part and parcel with a rather rambunctious adolescent dragon... Little One was kept in the series of large underground tunnels in the bowels of the academy, and Maka and Crona never missed a chance to go and see him daily now that they could. It was also a great way to avoid Sid and Nygus as they tended to be nervous around the scaly reptile that stood taller than the both of them together.

Only Mifune and Medusa were brave enough to search down in the tunnels for the siblings when they were with their pet. Mifune was still cautious enough to stand in the outer tunnel to watch, golden haired woman liked to stand leaned back against a wall with a smirk pulling at her lips and just observe the complete control the two young teens had over the great serpent and the fierce devotion the dragon showed to them both.

That was maybe another reason she got along so well with the duo: a mutual love of things with scales, or at least an appreciation of the others' love for a certain thing with scales.

One of the few things that weren't better than what they'd had before was the fact that Maka and Crona were forced to sleep apart, not just in separate beds, but in separate  _rooms_! They'd never slept apart in their entire lives, and now they had been forced to bed in entirely different areas. It was school policy, and they had both come to greatly dislike the Headmaster without ever having met him. Thankfully, Medusa didn't comment when their close, catty-corner rooms weren't close enough even with the doors open and she found one of them in the other's bed when she came in to get them in the mornings.

The days had been packed full of activity since they'd arrived, from schooling (which they hadn't had much of and were sadly behind in: tutoring was daily) to clothing (they'd both gotten new wardrobes, Maka's consisting of things that covered every inch of skin she possibly could, and Crona solving the problem with one-pieces that covered him from neck to toes) to said rooms (Crona had insisted on having his painted black with deep pink slashes of color, and Maka had gone for an intricate mural painted over the entire room).

They'd also gone through grooming hassles, both getting haircuts, and Maka had taken to putting hers up in two pigtails to keep it from tickling her face as she worked, but she didn't want to get it cut too short where she couldn't take it down and hide behind it if she wanted. Crona had his shorn to his ears, not wanting the bother longer hair presented.

And they'd both been getting what could only be called 'social lessons'. This included such things as being able to speak without flinching with the expectation of being hit after every word, saying what they actually thought instead of what they thought the person asking wanted to hear, and the ability to actively speak without stuttering or trailing off into silence in fear of saying the wrong thing.

At the best of times, those particular lessons were going 'slowly'; at the worst, the siblings were back to talking to people through closed doors. There were hours at a time where they would be holed up in one of their rooms with Maka sitting cross-legged on the bed, Crona laying down with his head in her lap, threading her fingers through his hair while she read out loud from one of the many novels she'd gotten from the library. More often than not, these times would be accompanied by Lady Medusa sitting outside the room in question, leaned against the door, and commenting on Maka's speaking voice or the pronunciation of certain words and sometimes explaining situations in the books that were confusing.

There were also times when Maka went over their text books instead of novels. She was surprisingly good at schoolwork, she absorbed information remarkably well, despite the lack of it she'd had during her upbringing. They both knew basic math; language, grammar and such from the books they'd gotten, and they were naturally rather fit from all the unwilling exercises they'd been put through in their lives.

But there were, inevitably, problems that started to arise.

Maka and Crona were more like phantoms than children. They got up (left their rooms; they were often awake for hours before) when Medusa came to get them, attended a small breakfast with their guardian, and the others of her team when they were available, suffered through an hour or two of intense study (never speaking unless it was in answer to a direct question or to ask for clarification or more information), then  _disappeared._  The adults would then spend the next three hours looking over the entire school for the renegade teens, Medusa and Mifune inevitably getting the short straw of checking the catacombs. Sometimes they'd find them, and sometimes not. The teens would eventually show up again for lunch, thoroughly entrenched in their shells where they'd answer no questions about where they'd been or what they'd been doing, suffer through another several hours of tutoring, then vanish again (this time certain to not be found) until dinner, then retire to their rooms. If at any point they were pressed too hard or couldn't take the stress of the current lesson, they'd run off to their rooms and not come out for the rest of the day.

It was plain to see that Crona wasn't getting the information from the books as well as Maka was, but somehow he managed to pass every test with identical answers as his sister, despite having him read something and ask him to repeat what he'd just read and have him give stuttering, half-mumbled, indecipherable answers. When school started and they began classes, they were more than likely to end up in different levels.

They were intensely reclusive, never starting a conversation, and very rarely participating in an active one if they weren't directly spoken to. They didn't make any move to befriend or include anyone else, refused to speak about the past (anyone's past, not just their own), and actively avoided all of the faculty that didn't include Medusa's team (and half of  _them_  the majority of the time, too). It was more like trying to deal with feral cats instead of teenagers: they took food, accepted human presence (only reluctantly), but they never trusted; and retreated into an unreachable spot at the slightest twitch in the wrong direction.

And all of that led up to the biggest problem of all.

Sid sat back with a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced around at his teammates after the duo once again locked themselves behind closed doors, "If they're like this with just the four of us, what are they going to be like when school comes back in session next week?"

2222


	3. Chapter 3

3333

Maka woke up as she usually did: with the feel of rough hands on her body as she struggled into wakefulness to find Crona tossing and struggling in her arms. It took several moments to make the transition from sleep and to get her body under control; slowing her breathing and frantic heart enough that her voice didn't waver as she started to quietly sing a lullaby to ease her brother awake.

 _What must it be like: to wake up from a nightmare and not immediately find yourself in another one? Will I ever know?_  It seemed her life had been a constant stream of nightmares. Hers, Crona's; their actual ones, and the ones their lives just resembled.

"Maka?"

* * *

Ugh, this was so uncool. Seriously, who spent their entire summer cooped up in school? "Lame!" Absolutely  _nothing_  interesting had happened in three months. How was that even possible? And being Professor Stein's personal guinea pig for the whole break hadn't really improved things any. Soul's summer had, in two words, completely sucked.

Thankfully, Blackstar and the others were due back tomorrow. Then they could all get on with the next part of the freaking semester, when things were actually scheduled to get interesting. Why their school had jacked hours Soul had not a clue as most schools  _ended_  their semester in summer, but not the DWMA;  _they_  ended in winter on the solstice for whatever weird reasons Lord Death had schpieled during Orientation that he'd not listened to. But then, who was he to complain when it meant they only had six months of school? True, the break assignments were murder and counted for a third of the grade, but that was beside the point.

And despite words to the opposite that he'd said to both Blackstar and Kid, Soul had, in fact, finished his summer assignment. Well, it wasn't like he'd had anything better to do with his parents not bothering to even come home from whatever exotic country they fled to in order to avoid him. He couldn't have taken on Kishin assignments if he'd wanted to (which he did); despite mad sparring sessions between students, they hadn't even been introduced to the monsters yet in their classes.

So he was rather grateful for an end to this truly, epically boring, absolutely torturously patheti- "Ooff!"

* * *

She hummed as she headed towards the library, hers the only footsteps that could be heard; Crona choosing to stay down and play with Little One more while she ventured out to find some new reading material after going through all of their novels.

Maka made her way through the empty halls, content with the feeling of the near-complete solitude the DWMA provided. The castle was utterly massive, with so many small places and rooms to hide away that it tended to make her and Crona giddy; they had, on several occasions, broken into spontaneous fits of giggles at the thought. If they ever really wanted to, they could probably hide so well it would take  _days_  for anyone to find them, and what an exhilarating and freeing thought that was!

The last month, despite the sometimes uncomfortable pressuring of the adults around, had been the happiest time of her life. She could eat whenever she wanted, just by venturing to the kitchen and asking the cooking staff for something to nibble on. She had access to all the books she could read, with a truly astonishing array to pick from. She could choose to not talk to people at all, and not have to worry about getting hit for it. She could lock - _lock!_ \- herself in her room, and not have anyone trying to break down the door!

It wasn't free, of course, but an asking price of  _learning_  things- it defied fantasy. All she and Crona had to do was learn everything Medusa and her team wanted, behave, and do a little physical training. They didn't have to cook with the inevitability of burning something with the faulty stove and oven and get thrashed, or wash dishes that they were doomed to break and get beaten for, or dress scantily for cameras and people, or... Maka shivered. Well, they didn't have to do any of that; or at least they hadn't yet, and even if they did, it seemed they'd be treated better than they had with their parents.

What an amazing, wonderful, unbelievably great summ- "Ah!"

Maka landed hard on her backside and stared up in dawning horror at the boy she'd run into (who hadn't done more than stumble), her thoughts going into a terrified whir as she started to tremble. What if he beat her? What if he did something worse? (Why had she worn a  _skirt_  of all things today?! She couldn't believe she'd even let Medusa buy it for her in the first place!) What if he told Lady Medusa that she'd run into him and she realized what a pathetic, awful klutz Maka was?!

_"You useless little bitch! Can't you even wash dishes without breaking something? Worthless little whore!"_

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry!_

He shook his head, "Uncool..." the boy looked her over with one sweeping appraisal (his eyes not even lingering contemplatively on her chest) and held out his hand. His crimson eyes narrowed when she flinched, but his arm didn't move, "Give me your hand."

Maka didn't hesitate to obey the order, slipping her hand into his and gasping when he hauled her back to her feet, "Th-thank you."

He shrugged and slipped his hands back into the pockets of his black and yellow jacket, "Just watch where you're going next time, 'kay, Tiny Tits?" she swore she heard him mutter 'New students' scornfully as he turned away.

Maka stared after him as he walked away, looking down at her hand and curling her fingers over her palm.  _So confusing..._  She'd run into him, and then he'd helped her up instead of beating her; but then he ignored her thanks and insulted her. Her mind was buzzing in confusion, but the lessons she'd been getting from Lady Medusa had had more of an impact than the adults thought, and the words left her mouth before she could stop them, "My name is  _Maka_! Maka Albarn!"

He looked back at her and smirked, "Nice to meet ya, Tiny Tits. I'm Soul Eater. See ya around sometime."

Her wince at what she'd said went unaddressed by the odd boy, Soul, as he disappeared around a corner. She snorted and turned away towards the library, "Jerk."

3333


	4. Chapter 4

 

4444

Soul waited just outside the doors in the courtyard as all the students gathered, some heading inside to their rooms, others, like him, meeting with their friends before heading in. He trusted Kid and the Thompsons to find  _him_ , not bothering to wade through the crowds looking for two brunettes and black haired boy: let them look for the beacon of white that tended to stand out in a gathering.

Blackstar, on the other hand, he could hear coming from a mile off, "YAH-HOOOO!" after three months, only the students that weren't in their class (and had been exposed to this enough to develop an immunity to it) looked up at Blackstar on top of one of the towers, "FEAR NOT! THE IMMORTAL ME IS BACK!"

Staring up at his best friend (most were of the opinion that it was sad that  _Blackstar_  was the best he could do), Soul was glomped from behind and winced as Patty's voice screeched right in his ear, "FOUND YOU!" followed by, "LOOK, SIS, I FOUND HIM!"

Liz wasn't far behind her sister, staring up at Blackstar with her hands on her hips, "GET DOWN HERE, DUMBASS!"

Kid came up after his partners, "Hello, Soul."

The albino finally managed to pry the younger Thompson from his person, "Thank god, someone who remembers what an inside voice is. So, what was your break like?"

"Father couldn't spare the time to get away, so he sent Liz, Patty, and I to the Bahamas on our own."

"You don't sound too pleased about that. Any other kid would kill for that chance: a tropical paradise with two girls, surrounded by hot women in skimpy outfits, no parental supervision..."

"Our hotel put us on the 17th floor, Patty and Liz each chose different swim suits, and the majority of the woman seemed to have this unfathomable, irrepressible urge to wear the fashion travesty that is the sarong tied cockeyed around their waists."

"You sound pretty mellow for having gone through what you'd normally term an 'asymmetrical hell'. Also: fashion travesty?"

"Liz slipped some heavy tranquilizers into my food for most of the trip and Patty found them and mistakenly spiked my breakfast this morning. And I wouldn't have anything against the pointless wisps of material but for people's continued insistence on tying them on the  _side_! Ugh!  _Hideous_."

"...Sounds like your tranqs are wearing off."

"I think I'm developing an immunity to them. I'd worry about becoming addicted if I weren't a Shinigami. As it stands, they're just steadily losing all effectiveness; they'd have done so sooner if I'd willed it and hadn't frankly been shamefully clinging to them to get me through the break in that asymmetrical  _hell_! I can't tell you how good it is to be back home at my wonderful, perfectly symmetrical DWMA."

Liz, having apparently given up on Blackstar and letting him conduct his rant unopposed (while Patty cheered, their non-classmates stared, and Soul, Kid, and all the others that were unfortunately used to this behavior tuned him out) chipped in with, "Well, if it's any consolation, Patty had enough fun for all of us."

Soul looked at her, "Didn't you have any fun down in the tropics, Liz?"

"Are you  _kidding_  me? Between keeping Patty from drowning looking for fish and pearls or suffocating after  _insisting_  hapless beach-goers bury her - _completely_ \- in the sand, and keeping Kid doped up enough to keep him from figuring out how to slit his wrists at the same time so they'd be symmetrical and hauling his boneless ass around? Oh, yeah, I had a  _blast_. I was tempted more than once to Manifest and just shoot myself in the head."

"...Ooookay, note to self: don't invite you or Kid on any vacations, they seem to make you two dangerously suicidal."

"What about you?"

Blackstar chose that moment to jump from the top of the tower and land beside them, "Yeah, man, how was your summer?!"

Soul thought about the run-in he'd had with the new girl the day before that was sadly the highlight of his summer, "Man, it couldn't have been less cool if I'd tried.  _Nothing_  happened. Boring as hell. What about you?"

"Dude! It. Was. EPIC! I've seriously upped my already outstanding assassin skills! I-" the starting bell cut him off, "-'ll... tell you about it later, I guess. Man, the  _worst_  timing!"

* * *

Maka was, to put it mildly, freaking  _out_! Lady Medusa had calmly informed them over breakfast that the summer break was over and the school was about to be filled with rambunctious teenagers with the ability to Manifest weapons from their bodies. Their lessons had been postponed while Medusa and the others got ready to start their School Year jobs. Maka and Crona had locked themselves in their rooms and refused to come out.

After the first hour, curiosity had become too much for the female half of the pair to stand and she'd gone out to watch the droves appear. It was her job as the oldest to check out the situations so Crona would know how to deal with them, so she decided some recon was in order. What she saw almost sent her running back to the safety of her room: there were  _a lot_  of people down there (and one apparently insane boy in particular that was on one of the towers to her right).

She made an unusual snap decision as the bell rang and knocked on Crona's door, "Let's go spy on one of the classes, that will give us information on how to act around all these new people."

The door opened and her brother appeared, instantly latching onto and clinging to her sleeve, not questioning her decision. Crona never questioned Maka's choices, she was older, smarter, more experienced, and he trusted her to make the right choices for the both of them. He kept close as they ventured into the seemingly empty halls, looking for -in Crona's opinion- trouble.

* * *

Soul took his usual seat and kicked his bag under the desk, looking around but not spotting the girl he'd run into. Not that he should have been overly surprised, she was probably in a different class.

After they all filed in and settled in their seats, Professor Stein rolled in, without bothering to take attendance, and spun around to face them, "We weren't supposed to do this until tomorrow, but since everyone completed and turned in their assignments, we'll do it anyway. It's the lesson all of you have been waiting for and bugging me about: today we'll start learning about Kishin Eggs." a resounding cheer went up and Stein rolled his eyes, but his lips had a tilt, "Yes, yes, now settle down. I'm sure at least some of you are wondering about what I have beneath this cover, here." he paused and pulled the red fabric away, every student in the room gasping, "As I'm sure you've all figured out:  _this_  is one of the creatures we hunt called Kishin Eggs. Who can tell me what a normal human soul looks like?"

"Bright blue-white, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. And what does a Kishin's soul look like?" there was plenty of muttering, but no one was brave enough to put up their hand and risk being wrong, "No one? Well, then let's find out, shall we?"

And that's where everything went wrong. Stein approached the cage with his arm out in preparation to manifest, and the Kishin threw itself against the side, tilting the whole thing. It was bad luck that one of the anchoring chains snapped and the cage hit the floor, causing the Kishin to hit the weaker top with enough force to break it. Students panicked and started screaming, but the scorpion-like humanoid demon ran from the room without going after any of them.

Stein sighed and reached up to adjust his bolt, "Everyone keep calm." the classes were all in session and easily locked down, all he had to do was call Medusa and... huh. Stein grabbed his phone and speed-dialed the nurse, "Medusa, where are your little darlings at this moment?"

"..."

"Why? Oh, because I may or may not have accidentally let a Kishin I had caged on display for my students escape the room."

"...!"

"You don't need to damage my hearing, and those are very hurtful words."

"... ... ... !"

"Well it's hardly my fault you can't keep track of them."

" _ **!!!**_ "

"Alright, alright! I'll help, just stop screaming. No, I need that particular body part. The more time you waste yelling at me, the lower the chances of your little darlings surviving their stroll." he hung up the phone and looked back to see the entire class leaned forward in an attempt to eavesdrop on the conversation, "Well I have to go help hunt the Kishin down. I've been informed that I'm to order you all to stay here in the classroom and lock the door behind me when I leave." As expected, only about a third of them listened to him, the rest following in the hopes of seeing either a Kishin killed, a good battle, or to answer the original question he'd asked; and he shrugged, "Have it your way."

* * *

Medusa reduced her cellphone to a pile of scrap in her hand, hopelessly crushing it like she wanted to do with a vital piece of anatomy on a certain "Ignorant, reckless, risk-taking fool of a man!"

She let the electronic waste fall to the floor, mind furiously working on where her charges could be since they weren't in their rooms. She shouldn't have gotten so attached to them; they were just another set of Kishin-victim orphans. But  _she_  was the one who'd taken their parents away from them, parents whom they'd asked after despite the near surety they'd felt that they would be beaten, or worse, for asking. The parents who'd kept them locked in a small room with a tiny window that had bars on it, that had a bed with straps to tie down slender struggling limbs.

 _She'd_  been the one to take them from that, the only thing they'd ever known, and they had depended on her. Crona and Maka looked at her with as close to trust as they could get, counting on her to give them information, to protect them from strangers who'd try to separate them, trusting her choice in letting people into their rooms to paint them. Medusa had never had someone who needed her the way they did, the closest she'd come was her patients and her team; and that wasn't the same thing. And now they were in danger because of Stein's stupidly reckless actions.

Death help him if Maka or Crona were hurt before she got to them...

* * *

Soul followed more because it'd be boring to wait around and do nothing in the classroom. Finding the Kishin was guaranteed to be outstandingly cool, but even if they didn't, the venomous looks Nurse Medusa was sending their Professor promised an equally amazing argument: Stein and Medusa's clashes were notoriously epic. The blonde woman had appeared out of nowhere to join the chase (which seemed to  _him_  to just be running down random halls, but what did  _he_  know?).

Whatever method it was or what it was called, it seemed to have worked if the sound of fighting up ahead at the next intersection meant anything. Soul ran dead into Stein's back when the professor stopped in his tracks, his eyes lit up in a way that most sane people would find worrying. Soul held in his grumbling and leaned around the teacher to see what had stopped the adults cold, his eyes widening at the scene before him.

The girl he'd run into the day before,  _Maka_ , was  _dancing_ with the Kishin, the thing's claws glancing off the metal of her scythe with clear ringing 'shing's. She twirled around, keeping her back to the Kishin's front and constantly looking over her shoulder in the most unorthodox fighting style he'd ever seen. Then he saw why when the tail swung around, aiming for her stomach.

Maka glanced up at it, then focused back on the pincers trying to rip into her throat. Soul tensed and was about to step in when Stein held his arm out to stop him, then he heard the ringing again and saw why. Someone with pink hair had stepped face-to-face with Maka, their hands over their shoulder, holding the deadly stinger at bay with a black sword. Then they slid past each other like dance partners, and Maka used the haft of her scythe as leverage to get airborne as the pink haired one clashed with the claws.

At a signal Soul didn't catch, the pink haired one held the sword up in both hands, "Scream resonance!" the sword began to vibrate and a high-pitched noise rent the air, all of the students clapping their hands over their ears.

The Kishin tried to do the same, its pincers coming up ineffectually on the sides of its head. Unnoticed, Maka had taken the aerial advantage afforded by her weapon to kick off of a wall and gain significant height, and thanks to her partner, the Kishin was now wide open. Maka readied her scythe and descended in a beautifully lethal arc, "Your soul is mine!"

Light glinted off the blade for an instant before it was all over. The demon froze, Maka in a perfect crouch froze, her partner with the sword no longer screaming froze; time itself seemed to pause for a moment, not a single sound breaking the stillness. Then the Kishin collapsed and dissolved into nothingness, its soul left floating in the air, a magma-like, glowing red.

Blackstar next to him muttered, "Awesome." in an awed voice.

Soul smirked as he agreed, "Definitely the coolest first day ever."

4444


	5. Chapter 5

5555

Soul was the closet to Stein, so he was one of the few privy to the conversation going on between their teacher and the school Nurse; or, rather, the chewing-out of their teacher  _by_  the school nurse. Without immanent threat to the student body, it seemed, Nurse Medusa was more than willing to ream Stein right there in the middle of the hall, and in front of those unthreatened students...

" _What_  in the world were you thinking, you foolish man?! No, don't answer that; I already know: you  _weren't_  thinking!" she put a hand to her temple, "I don't even want to  _contemplate_  how many school strictures you broke with this pig-headed stunt."

Stein adjusted his glasses and cocked his head for a moment, "Twenty-three."

"What?"

"School strictures I violated: twenty-three."

Blackstar took a step back at the feral growl that came from the blond woman's throat, her hand dropping to her side and curling in a way that suggested she was about to Manifest the segmented whip she was rumored to be so proficient with in order to strangle or otherwise harm their professor.

Soul caught Maka looking at him from the corner of her eyes and smirked at her, giving a discreet thumbs-up for her battle skills. She blushed and looked away.

Whispers in the crowd behind revealed students were putting bets on one or other of the adults for what seemed the immanent show-down they were about to have. Then a knock came from the door behind them and Medusa, looking confused, reached past Maka and her pink-haired partner to open it, "...Yes?"

A dark head peeked out, "Um, is it safe to come out now?"

"Yes. But who are you, and what are you doing in a utility closet?"

Soul saw Blackstar's eyes widen as he moved forward to get a better look at the student. She bowed, her ponytail falling over her shoulder, "Gomen nasai. I'm Tsubaki, and I'm a new student here in Nevada." she straightened and looked down the halls, "I, um, seem to have gotten lost looking for my room... and my classes... and the main office. I was just trying to find someone to help when I ran into that-that thing, and they saved me, pushing me into the closet and telling me to stay quiet until it was gone. It, um,  _is_  gone now, yes?"

The blonde's eyes flickered to the floating soul, "Yes, it's gone. I'm the school Nurse, Medusa; you aren't hurt, are you?"

Tsubaki waved her hands in front of her, "Oh, no, I'm perfectly alright! All thanks to, oh, I didn't even get your name."

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to get to know them later. Now that everyone's alright and the danger is past, it's time to get back on schedule. What's your dorm and class number?"

"Oh! I'm in East 207, and Class A-1."

"That's my hall. Welcome to the DWMA, Tsubaki; meet your classmates." the woman gestured to the gawking students crowded in the hall. She raised her voice, "Well, I think that's enough excitement for the time being, class is dismissed for the rest of the day. Blackstar, please go and let the others in class know."

"Got it!"

"Liz, Patty, please show Tsubaki to her room."

They both nodded, "Yes, Ma'am!"

"Kid, take that to your father, if you would." she said, nodding towards the Kishin soul.

"Of course."

"And as for the rest of you, please return to your rooms. Dismissed!" the students started to disperse, quickly when loitering was met with a stern glare. Soul was the last one to leave, blending in with the walls when he was still and quiet, and was present when Medusa rounded on Stein, "And  _you_.  _You_  stick to the syllabus from now on. And give my regards to Lord Death when you go make your report about this fiasco to him."

The stitched man waved his hand dismissively, "Yes, yes." his gaze settled on the pair behind the nurse for an uncomfortably long time, "Nice to meet you, kids."

Medusa opened her mouth to say something else when Stein turned to go, but he had already turned his back. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him leave, "Insufferable man." she muttered.

Soul caught Maka's eye and straightened from leaning against the wall, "Nice moves, there, Tiny Tits."

She shifted from foot to foot, "Th-thanks, I guess...?"

Medusa rounded, saw Soul, and turned her fearsome stare on him, "What are you still doing here, Mr. Evens?"

Soul rolled his eyes, "You said class was over, that makes this a free period, which means I have the right to go wherever I want. And it's Soul Eater, teach. Seriously, so uncool."

"I've seen you naked and put you back together from pieces, Soul: I'll call you by your last name if I so choose."

He winced, "Come on! Seriously?!"

"Seriously. Why, I remember when I had to treat you last winter, just before Break..."

Soul held his hands up, "Okay, okay; I'm leaving!" he tossed one last grin Maka's way, "Later, Tiny Tits."

Maka smiled back and was even so impudent as to wave, "Bye, Soul  _Evens_."

His grin turned to a grimace, "Argh!" Soul couldn't help smiling at hearing the girl's laughter as he walked away.

5555


	6. Chapter 6

6666

Medusa sat on the chair across from the settee where Maka and Crona were perched, "Why didn't you two tell me that you could Manifest?" she'd been prepared to place them in several of the NOT classes. Aside from the mastering internal weapon portions, they were very like any highly renowned, if very exclusive, boarding school.

The two fidgeted, "We didn't think it was important."

"Maka, uncontrolled weapon powers can be extremely dangerous, to oneself and others."

"But they're not uncontrolled!" Medusa cast her a quelling look and Maka shrunk back, "They're not..." she whispered.

"I think it's time we had a long talk. Silence is no longer an option; this was potentially dangerous information you intentionally withheld from me. Now let's start at the beginning: when did you first Manifest?"

"I don't remember." a stern look had her shifting about, "When I was... eight, I think?"

"And you, Crona?"

"About the same time."

"And why is it you think that you have sufficient control of your powers? Most Manifest around puberty and are a great danger to themselves and others until they come here to learn control."

Maka squirmed, "Well... It was just another skill."

"Like running or posing." Crona added.

"We just never thought about it much. Mama and Papa used to rent us out, to clean other people's houses..."

"Or to have pictures taken-"

"-hunt Kishin-"

"-and... other things..."

Medusa looked back and forth between them with dawning horror twisting her stomach at this newly revealed aspect of the children's lives. "Your parents  _rented you out_?"

"Uh-huh. They'd get money for having us do things for people they knew. Sometimes if we got back too late at night, we'd be locked out of the house, and have spend the night with the Little One to stay warm."

"Or look for new clothes, or food!"

Maka nodded and smiled at her brother, "Yeah! Remember that burger place just around the block?"

"Burger Palace."

"Yeah, that one. I liked the little pies we could find. There was even enough food thrown away that we could eat until we were full and bring back some to feed the Little One."

Crona nodded, "I liked the french fries, they were so good... I didn't know how to deal with the patties..."

"I know, you like the veggie stuff without the meat."

Medusa didn't like the sound of where this was going, "Excuse me. Are you saying you... ate out of dumpsters?"

"Uh-huh... Is that bad? Do you think it was stealing? I mean, they threw out so much food, and it wasn't like anyone else wanted it."

The nurse covered her mouth with her hand, controlling her expression at the anxious looks the duo was giving her, "No, I don't think anyone would have minded."

Crona poked his forefingers together, "We used to find toys, too. You aren't going to take them away, are you?"

"Is that what was in those bags you had hidden in the Little One's cave?" The pink haired boy nodded, "Those are yours, and no one's going to take them from you." she forcefully wrenched her mind back on track, "When you were rented out, you battled Kishin Eggs?"

Maka grabbed her brother's hand, "Yes..."

"Have you ever eaten one?"

The siblings glanced at each other before looking back at her and hesitantly nodding, "We have."

Medusa didn't want to ask the next question, she really didn't, for fear of what she would have to do if they said yes, "Have either of you ever devoured a human soul?"

Maka and Crona immediately blanched, their faces scrunching, and shook their heads vehemently, "No!"

"Never!"

"I don't know how to deal with human souls..."

"Mama and Papa made us eat the Kishin Eggs, they said we needed to be stronger so they could get more money for us."

The golden blonde let out a relieved sigh. These children had gone through far too much, they didn't need to be victimized by being forcefully turned into Kishin against their wills. She sat back and crossed her ankles, "Well then, I have only a few final questions. Would you two like to enroll in the Especially Advanced Talent classes here at the academy instead of the personal tutoring you've been getting and train to become Death Weapons for the school? Or you could join the Normally Overcome Target classes, that train to control their powers so they can live normal lives.

"I think joining either of the classes; EAT or NOT, would be good for you. It's a chance to learn more about your powers and your bodies, and to make friends with people of similar ages and backgrounds."

The teens straightened in surprise and looked at each other. "Do we have to?"

"No, you don't  _have_ to. You could continue on in the same pattern of the last month, but I think this would be the better choice. You could try, and if it doesn't work for you, I'll pull you out for personal training if that's what you want."

They stared for several minutes, then Maka turned back to her, "I, um, think we can handle it."

Medusa smiled, "I'm glad you're giving this a chance. So, which classes will you be taking?"

Crona and Maka's hands tightened, and with a determined look, they answered together, "The-"

6666


	7. Chapter 7

7777

Stein waved at the open door, "Class, meet the newest students who couldn't bother to show up for orientation yesterday. Don't just stand out there, come in and introduce yourselves like you were told."

Soul perked up as Maka came in, her pink-haired partner close behind, with the black haired girl from the day before bringing up the rear. The raven went first, bowing to the whole class, "I'm Nakatsukasa Tsubaki. Oh, sorry, I mean, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. I'm from Japan and just transferred in. I can Manifest a smoke bomb, kusarigama, and katana; which I was told to not show until later. I hope you'll treat me well." she bowed again.

Maka took a deep breath, "I'm Maka Albarn, and I'm a scythe Meister."

The pink-haired one stared resolutely at the ground, "I'm... Crona. I wield a sword."

Soul appraised the pinkette, "Is that a boy or a girl?"

Blackstar shrugged next to him, "No idea, bro."

Professor Stein pointed up into the seating, "Take your seats there."

The three made their way up and sat together. Tsubaki leaned in closer, "Thank you for saving me yesterday, Maka."

She smiled at the kind young woman whose soul just radiated good will, "No problem, Tsubaki. You're more than welcome." Even Crona nodded and smiled shyly.

"Hey there, Tiny Tits."

Maka jerked and spun around, "Soul?!"

He smirked and raised a hand in a half-assed wave, "Yo."

Next to him, a black haired boy with odd white highlights waved, "Hello, there. I'm Death the Kid, and this is Liz-"

"Hey."

"-and Patty."

"Hello!"

They turned at the thump on their desk, "And  _I_  am the wonderful, the terrific, the immortal Blackstar! Bow before my greatness!"

Professor Stein's bored voice came from down in the front of the room, "Blackstar, detention for disrupting class."

The long haired brunette, Liz, rolled her eyes, "Ignore him."

Soul looked at her, "Hey, that's a new record for longest time without getting detention yet."

Kid nodded, "Yes, at least he waited until school started this year."

"All the way to the second day to boot."

Maka kept a wary eye on Blackstar. She had learned over the years that the bigger the ego, the sharper the slap. Tsubaki was more accepting of the situation, "It's nice to meet you all."

Soul pointed to Crona, "So who's this?"

Maka looked over at the pinkette, unknowing how her face softened, "This is my brother, Crona. Crona, Tsubaki, this is Soul Eater." Maka noted the momentary look of gratitude Soul gave her for using his preferred name.

Crona took only fleeting looks at everyone, choosing to stare primarily at the floor, "H-hello..."

The teacher spoke again, "Blackstar, get off of that desk; class is about to begin. Don't make me give you a second detention."

"Aw, come on, Stein..." the blue-haired boy whined.

"5... 4... 3..."

"I'm off!" he shouted, not wanting to get another punishment, especially not one of Stein's 'special' ones. He sighed and flopped in the chair on the other side of Tsubaki, crossing his arms and ankles (which were on the tabletop), "Stuffy old coot."

"I heard that. Feet off the desk."

"Yessir!" he said straightened. Tsubaki giggled and Blackstar beamed at her.

Stein rapped on the blackboard and everyone settled down: Crona on one side of Maka and Tsubaki on the other so she was nestled between them; and Soul, Kid, Liz, and Patty just behind them in the row above.

"Now pay attention, class. Who can tell me how a Kishin Egg happens?"

There was silence, so Maka took the chance, raised her hand, and answered, "It's when people eat the souls of other humans. They lose all their humanity and become demons that can evolve into a dark god if left unchecked."

"Exactly right."

A snide voice came from several rows back, "Hey, does that mean Soul Eater is part Kishin? I mean, between his looks and his name..."

Sporadic laughter came from around the classroom, Soul clutched his pencil so tight it threatened to snap. Maka stood up with her palms flat to the table, staring straight ahead, "A person can also become a Kishin without ever eating another soul by straying from the path of righteousness and committing acts of evil. From great evils such as murder and rape-" her gaze flicked towards the back of the class, "to the lesser ones like petty bullying."

Stein blinked wide-eyed at the ash-blonde, " _Very good_ , Maka. That particular situation is called Kishin Influence Infection, and is highly advanced material. And Donna, you'll be serving a special detention with me later this evening for disrupting class, and for baseless libel against a fellow student."

Maka sat back down, glowing at the praise, the accomplishment turning to embarrassment when Tsubaki leaned forward, "That was very brave of you, Maka."

Her face heated, "It was nothing."

"It was something to me. Thanks." She started and looked over to see Soul's crimson eyes boring into her, her cheeks flaming painfully.

Maka faced forward again and crept down in her seat, reaching up to undo her pigtails so she could hide behind the curtain of her hair, "You're welcome..."

7777


	8. Chapter 8

8888

"What's wrong with you, Liz?" Kid asked on the way to the cafeteria. "You've been strangely quiet all day."

"It's the new kids. Something about them has been bugging me all morning."

"Well what is it?"

"I don't know, okay?! But it's been driving me nuts!"

"Do you think there's something wrong with them?"

"Wrong? No, nothing like that.  _Off_ , weird, yes; but bad or suspicious, no. I just feel like I'm forgetting something really important, and I can't for the life of me figure out what the hell it is."

Patty jumped in with: "I like Maka and Crona, they were always nice to us!"

Liz tripped over her own feet and would have fallen on her face if Kid hadn't grabbed her, "That's it!"

"What the hell, Liz?!"

"Sorry, we have to go. We'll see you after lunch. Patty, let's go!"

"Coming!"

Maka and Crona chose a small table for two in a quiet corner, tensing when they were approached, "I just figured out where I recognized you from."

Maka blinked, "Um, hi... Liz, right?"

Liz bent down and leaned on the table, watching Maka closely, "That's right: Liz. It's short for Elizabeth, and this is my little sister, Patricia."

Maka swallowed, her face paling, "Elizabeth and Patricia... Thompson?"

"The very same. And  _you_ -" she pointed to them, "are the Black Dragon siblings Maka and Crona. I knew I recognized you from somewhere: you were street-rats just like us."

"I remember when we first met, when we fought against one another in the Pits."

Liz rubbed her knuckles absentmindedly, her voice wry, "Yeah, I recall. I hit  _walls_  with more give than your gut. I didn't even want to  _know_  your fitness routine."

Maka finally came out of her stupor, "We thought you were  _dead_!"

Liz rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Yeah... sorry about that. A lot's happened."

Patty sat extremely close to Crona, "Hi, Crona!"

While scooting away incrementally, the pinkette smiled and nodded, "Hi, Patty."

"Will you make me another giraffe?"

"Sure, do you have any paper?"

Patty unwrapped her burger and gave him the wrapper, then watched without even blinking as he cleared a spot, laid it out, and started folding. Less than three minutes later, Crona handed her the origami animal. Patty snatched it to her chest with surprisingly gentle haste and squealed in glee, "THANK YOU!" she shouted before hugging him hard enough to leave him breathless.

"Y-you're welc-come. Can't breathe..."

Maka giggled while Liz outright laughed at their siblings. She pulled a chair from a near-by table that was vacant and sat down, "How have things been with you guys?"

"Just... average. Last month our parents were Reaped and the school took us in. And here we are..."

"We got taken in, too. Kid found us showing off in the street and decided to bring us to the academy to get 'edumacated'. We came back to look for you, but couldn't find anything."

"It's probably for the best. What could we have done, anyway? Left?"

"I guess you're right... But we still missed you."

"Same here. Liz, we had a memorial and everything."

"I'm really sorry, Maka. Patty, if you ever want him to make you any more giraffes, he needs to be alive, and that kind of requires oxygen."

The younger girl finally let Crona go, his face a mild shade of blue that immediately started looking healthier, in favor of setting her new sculpture on the table and admiring it from every possible angle, " 'kay."

Liz shook her head and held out one of her hamburgers to Maka, "For oldtimes' sake? I got one for Crona, too; french fries instead of meat."

Maka took the offered food, "Thank you."

Liz shrugged, "No problem. You shared with us when we needed it, it's only fair to return the favor."

They ate slowly, savoring both the chance to do so, and the camaraderie of old friends. Maka laid her arms on the table and rested her head on them when she was done, "This really is like back then. I can almost close my eyes and smell the fryers and asphalt." she perked up at a thought, "Do they have mini-pies here?"

Liz started laughing, then reached behind her and brought out a small rectangle box, "You really haven't changed at all. Here, apple-eater."

Maka blushed and accepted the box, "Sorry..."

The brunette shook her head, "Don't be. It's been years since we've seen each other, it's good to indulge in the past. You were always easy on me when we were in the ring together, and shared your food spot with Patty and I when we needed it most that winter. Hell, if it hadn't been for you two, we might have frozen to death long before Kid ever found us."

Patty nodded, "Where's the Little One?" she craned around like they might be hiding a massive black dragon in the middle of the cafeteria, "I want to play with him again! He was so cute and warm, like a giraffe!"

Maka giggled, "He's down in the catacombs. Still just as warm, but he's a lot bigger now."

"So... like a big Little One? Or just a Big One?"

"Nope, still Little One, just... bigger."

"Ahhh." Patty nodded sagely, like it all made sense now (which, to her, it probably did).

Crona finished his fry burger and the folded wrapper made its way into his pocket for future use, "I can take you to see the Little One now if you want. That's okay, right, Maka?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I mean, class doesn't start again for about forty minutes. Don't be late." she added nervously. They had yet to find out what Medusa or the other staff's punishments were, and planned to keep it that way if it were at all possible.

Crona shuddered slightly, "Right." Patty stuck to his side like a leach, loudly telling him about everything that had happened since they'd last met while he led the way out.

Maka smiled after them, then turned back to her old friend, "Liz..."

She nodded, "Yeah, I can tell you everything about the DWMA."

The ash-blonde let out a relieved breath, "Thank you."

"Just returning the favor. I'm sure you probably already know the layout, so I won't bother with that. The politics are like this..."

888


	9. Chapter 9

999

She looked out from behind the guillotine, "You called for me?"

The deathly figure turned, "Oh, yes, Medusa, come in! Sorry to pull you away."

She straightened her clothes and approached the dais, "I was just checking my supplies, Lord Death. You needn't worry."

"And..."

She planted her feet and held her arms still behind her, "Fully stocked for the new school year. No concerns."

"What about your... 'other' supplies?"

Medusa tensed, but forced herself to relax. Death Weapon Meister Academy had changed a lot in the last several decades, but what she was and what she did (medically aside) was still to the day a touchy, rarely-mentioned subject. She, a Witch who'd turned her back on her own kind, who'd become a  _nurse_ , who  _healed_  at the very school that made a habit of  _killing_  Witches! ...She who had, nearly a century ago, been taken in as the personal apprentice of Lord Death himself...

"Those supplies are nearly stocked as well. I can always use more frogs' eyes, but Eruka always cringes when she sees me in fear I'll ask her for them personally."

"The poor thing. I'll see what I can do."

"It's not easy being a Witch sometimes, she'll eventually have to get over it; but I thank you all the same. Was that all you needed me for?" Of course it wasn't. If that had been all he wanted, he could have called her through any one of the infirmary's many reflective surfaces, even to discuss her Witch's workings. It was merely her way of asking him to get to the point.

"No, it's not." The death god chuckled, "You haven't changed a bit, my dear."

"Glad I could amuse you, Teacher. Now what did you  _really_  need me for?"

"I want you to look at something." he handed her a folder, "Do you know who Maka's father is?"

"Hmm? No, I didn't get a chance to even see his face. I had to deal with an opposing Witch, I had no time to think about... Oh, that's right, Maka said he was a Death Weapon. Did you know him, Lord Death?"

"Yes... And I'm not the only one."

When he didn't further elaborate, she turned to the file, opening the folder and perusing it's contents. She nodded at the picture that was revealed. Yes, she vaguely recollected the redhead now, but she couldn't recall any significant meetings that'd have taken place during her school years.

"Spirit Albarn..."  _Why does that name sound familiar?_  "Weapon: Scythe. Partner: Franken Stein."  _No, that's not it; I never met Stein until after I became a nurse._ "Graduated with honors... yada, yada, yada..." she skimmed down through the information for anything that might look familiar or spark a memory.  _Huh._  "Previously married to Ka-" the folder fell from numb fingers, her hands covering her mouth, " _No_."  _That's_ where she recognized him from.

_"Medusa! You'll never guessed who asked me to prom!"_

_"Mmm... Sid?"_

_"No! And also: ew... We're practically related, how could you even say that?"_

_"You were saying? Something about that awful dance I have no intention of attending? So who's taking you? Oh, I know! That annoying boy who's been stalking you all year!"_

_"Well... Yes..."_

_"...Seriously? Kami, what were you thinking?"_

_"That he's persistent. ...and kind of cute?"_

_"*sigh* Alright, what's his name?"_

"Spirit Albarn..." Medusa bent down and picked the folder back up, "Lord Death, the information in this file; is it accurate?"

She looked up as he nodded, "It is."

"Morgana forgiv- Oh, I apologize."

"No, no, I understand; it's quite alright."

She held the pale yellow folder in her hands, a reminiscent smile on her face, "I haven't spoken to her in years, since that fight we had after graduation..." her best friend, her partner all through school, the closest thing she'd had to a sister, her Kami.  _I can't believe she got married._  She frowned, then went back to the file, skimming again, a heavy feeling growing in her stomach. She couldn't find the word she was looking for: divorce wasn't anywhere on the page.

_Don't. Control yourself. It's possible for two people to split up without divorcing._

She closed the pale yellow folder and looked up, "This file is incomplete, it stops barely a year after he graduated. You have another one?"

"Yes." he handed her a different folder: a red one. Medusa tensed.

Yellow files were information files; surveillance, records.  _Red_  files were incident reports; police reports, interrogation results, court files. Hesitantly, she opened the folder.

"No!" her scream resounded around the Death Room as Medusa fell to her knees, hands curled against the damning paper, "Kami, no!" Her tears fell on the shaking picture of a mutilated, unmoving body. Medusa closed the file and clutched it to her chest, "Y-you called me he-here for a reason. This-" she shook her head, "This can't be it."

"No, it's not..." he held out one more file. A blue one: last will and testament.

The red folder joined the yellow one on the floor as she desperately reached for the blue one and opened it, a diary falling out into her lap, ignored as she read the paper in front of her, "In the event of my d-death... Kami..."  _In the event of my death, I leave all my worldly possessions, and all responsibilities I may have at the time of my death, to my best friend: Medusa._

999


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hard to believe we've gotten all the way to chapter 10, huh? But here it is! And please forgive the jumpy quality of this chapter; but we're covering several (and new) perspectives this time around (and setting up key future plot points [yes, I actually have a plot!]). Onward!

101010

Crona looked around nervously. How was he supposed to deal with this? He didn't know how to deal with getting lost! And he certainly didn't know how to deal with losing Patty! What would Liz do when she learned he'd lost her sister? What would the teachers do when he was late to class, or  _worse_ ; failed to show up all together? And what would  _Maka_  do when he didn't turn up?

Okay, that last one he knew. She'd search for him, search the whole school for him; and get in trouble for leaving class to do it. And she wouldn't care. And THEN what would the teachers do?! He couldn't handle this! Crona leaned up against the nearest lockers, hands to his head as he tired to stop the panic attack like Maka taught him. He closed his eyes and emptied his mind, focusing solely on his breathing. In and out. In and out. In and out.

_Breathe, Crona._

In and out.

"Well, well, well; look who it is."

Crona looked up in pure panic when he saw the girl who'd gone up against Maka earlier.  _Nononono._

She sneered at him and a big guy on at her side shoved Crona, his back hitting the lockers painfully. He winced and cowered. "Whatsa matter,  _coward_? Not brave without your girlfriend around?"

Girlfriend? Crona didn't have a girlfriend, he didn't have any friends. Did she mean Maka? But Maka was his sister!  _I'm so confused! I can't deal with this!_  "Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me alone."

* * *

Medusa locked herself in her office with her best friend's diary, sequestering herself from all distractions, and delved into what Kami had been thinking in the last days and months of her life.

_I sit here in the study alone tonight. Well, not really, I guess. Spirit volunteered to drive Mizune home. My offer to go with them so we could both drop her off and save gas was, of course, vehemently denied. Those two, I swear. I'm pregnant, not glass; but would you know that by the way they both hover around me? Noooo. Honestly, I don't know how I'm going to put up with this in the months to come, and I'm only four months along!_

_I imagine by the time the twins are ready to come out, they'll be just as ready to strangle Spirit and Mizune as I will. Mizune's a great friend, and Spirit's going to be a wonderful father, but it's bad enough to have a hovering husband; now I've somehow got a wife, too. As much as I want to, though, I can't really blame either of them. I mean Spirit and I have always wanted a baby, and I've never felt so fulfilled as providing a baby for Mizune when she can't have one herself. But this surrogacy is different than I'd thought it would be. Ah, well, you know what they say about expectations. Time to get these babies to bed. Good night!_

* * *

Maka was immediately nervous when Patty showed up without Crona, wringing her hands and tears in her eyes, "I lost him! We were together and then we went around the corner and there were people and when I reached for Crona's hand it wasn't there and he was  _gone!_  I looked and looked and called but I couldn't find him anywhere!"

She tensed as Liz comforted her sister, "Want-"

"No, I'll do it. You two go on ahead." Maka didn't follow Liz into the classroom, staring blankly ahead. She didn't care that class was about to start again. She closed her eyes and focused on her brother, sending out her soul wavelength, feeling it sweep out through the halls of the school and ignoring everything that wasn't the single point of light that was Crona.  _There!_  His soul was shivering in fear and twinges of pain.

Maka's eyes flashed open, furious, and she took off running.

* * *

"Can someone tell me why an emotionally or mentally unstable Death Weapon Meister shouldn't devour a Kishin Egg?" There was silence, and just as it seemed no one was going to try to answer, a hand raised. Stein adjusted his glasses, "Yes, Kid?"

"Because an emotionally or mentally weakened Meister is especially vulnerable, and devouring a Kishin soul when in such a state leaves them dangerously open to the Taint Maka described to us earlier."

Stein's usual playfulness absent, he took the time to stare each student in the eye for a moment, " _That_  is correct. Being a Meister is an extremely risky business. And that is one of the two great dangers we face out there everyday. Not only is it dangerous to you on a physical level -getting maimed or killed is always a chance- but also on the mental level. We go out and risk out lives, our souls, and our minds in order to keep the rest of the world safe.

"But it's also why we have teams. Some of you must have wondered by this point why it is we send you out in pairs and even teams. It's because if one of the team doesn't feel up to the challenge, either mentally or emotionally, of devouring the Kishin's soul, one of the others will always be there to step in."

* * *

Medusa hugged the closed diary to her chest and rocked back and forth. Kami had been pregnant, with twins; with Maka and Crona. One of them had been for her infertile friend, Mizune, and one for her and her husband. Something had changed, though. At some point between her pregnancy and the children's first memories, something drastic had changed.

And she was going to find out what. Medusa stood up and made her way out of the Infirmary: she had to talk to Lord Death about setting up a meeting with a certain redhead.

* * *

Crona curled up on the ground in front of the lockers, holding in his cries of pain as they shoved at him, nudged him with their feet, and tugged at his hair.  _Maka, Maka, Maka. Ow, ow, ow! MAKA!_

He whimpered as he was lifted off the ground and held up, the latches on the lockers digging painfully into his back. The man pulled back his fist and Crona covered his face with his hands. When pain didn't immediately come, he peeked out between his fingers to see why, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him.

A smiling man stood behind the one that held him, not quite as tall, but still dwarfing Crona by over a foot, a calm smile on his cross-scarred face... and an enormous great sword held at the taller male's throat with seemingly no effort at all, "Think very carefully about your answer when I ask you this: are you sure you want to do that?"

The huge teen's hair was dark; almost black, and held back in a low tail. Icy silver eyes bored into suddenly timid brown, "Donna-"

"Is no longer part of the equation."

Crona lowered his hands just a little bit more to see the dark-haired girl passed out on the floor. The man holding him up gulped, the action causing his throat to press against the lethally sharp great sword and earn a nick, a rill of dark blood sliding down his neck.

"If I might make a suggestion?" the silver-eyed male said softly, "Put him down - _gently_ , Death help you if he's further injured- then grab that piece of garbage and get the hell away from me before I decide to kill you both just for the fun of it."

Crona found himself set carefully on the floor, shaking and pressing back into the cold metal behind him. Then the man put his hands up, "Th-there. S-sorry, Ragnarok."

The other - _Ragnarok_ \- easily swung his great sword up and tapped it against his shoulder, seemingly in thought. Then his smirk turned vicious, "Not. Sorry. Enough." without hesitation, he kicked the man in his gut, doubling him over, then swung the sword -flatside- and the man slammed into the opposite wall hard enough to ruin the plaster, raising a cloud of dust and leaving a crater.

Ragnarok smiled, apparently happy with his work, and turned to Crona, his expression softening and his sword glowing golden before dematerializing, "You okay, there, Short Stuff? They didn't rough you up too bad, did they?" he reached out, pausing when he flinched, then slowly continued, so gently gripping his chin and turning his head to see a particularly colorful bruise, "Or maybe they did. Come on, I'll take you to the nurse."

"No! I- I m-mean..."  _Think, Crona! Be Maka! What would Maka do?!_  She'd be calm, collected; warm but cold; kind but distant. He took a deep breath, "Um, I c-can't. I'm already late for class, and my s-sister is waiting for me. But! But th-thank you."

"You need those to be looked at. And I'm sure your sister would rather you get your injuries treated. Let me take you to the nurse."

Crona snatched at it life a lifeline, "We're Lady Medusa's! She can look at it later! Just take me to Maka;  _please_! I don't know how to deal with being without Maka!"

Crona flinched at the heavy arm that draped across his shoulders, "Shh. Hush now, Short Stuff. What class are you?"

"A-1... Are you taking me to-"

"Maka, apparently." his savior answered dryly. "By the way, I'm Second-Level Ragnarok: Class K-5, South Tower 405, under Mifune."

Crona blinked, "Mifune? He's partners with Lady Medusa, I know him."

"And if you're Nurse Medusa's then that means you're in the East Tower, and that you're a First-Level."

"Level?"

"Training. Don't worry about it; you'll learn all about that in class. So, what's your name, anyway?"

The pinkette stared at the floor, "...C-"

"Crona!"

His head snapped up and he barely contained the tears that wanted to fall, "Maka!" He didn't even get the chance to move before he was wrapped safely in her arms and sobbing into her shoulder, their souls meshing and sharing the entire awful experience.

She looked up at the silver-eyed teen, "Thank you, Ragnarok."

He shrugged, "No problem... Maka?" he relaxed when she nodded.

They both stared at him in some confusion as he ushered them along to their classroom, finally putting their collective foot down when they were at the door and he was about to leave. Crona stopped him, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you save me?"

Ragnarok looked back at him and smiled, "See you around, Short Stuff."

Crona let his sister drag him into their classroom as the tall, tanned teen strode away.

Stein looked at them when they entered -his eyes touching on Crona's bruises but not lingering- and motioned to them to take their seats, "I'll excuse it this time. Don't get lost again."

They ducked into their places with low-muttered; 'Yes sir's and startled expressions when Tsubaki and Soul handed each of them a copy of the notes they'd taken in class so far. With looks of thanks, they settled down to listen to the rest of the lesson.

Another hand raised, "Professor, why should we do it? I mean, if it's so dangerous?"

Stein adjusted his glasses, "If any of you have the slightest hesitancy about putting yourselves in danger out there for others, this is the time for it. If at any point you feel like this is isn't something you can whole-heartedly do; I encourage you to transfer yourself to the NOT class. Putting ourselves at risk to keep the public safe is part of our duty, we are the last line of defense; the ones that stand between evil and the innocents it hunts, or we die trying.

"This is what we do: we are Death Weapon Meisters."

101010


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: For those who've wanted to ask but haven't and in honor of the two that have: My update schedule for both my Soul Eater fics is every Friday, sometime between two and six Eastern Standard Time. I will warn you when I'm running out of inspiration.
> 
> Asking for updates, while kind of flattering, is not likely to actually net you them. Better way to get the updates you want: Give me ideas for them! ANYTHING is accepted: funny, serious, romantic. Crack- that right there's a dream sequence, maybe the character got drugged and hallucinated, maybe they have an epiphany about their life from it. Contribute to keeping the fic going! Also be CERTAIN to tell me about how I do in action scenes: I have big plans for the end of this fic and I need to practice and know what I'm doing well and badly on.
> 
> Thank you for your time.

 

111111

The following three days had gone... well, as smoothly as was likely possible, considering. Maka discovered that Blackstar hadn't been acting when they'd met, he really was just that... enthusiastic. Kid was okay; very polite, neat and tidy, and extremely Obsessively Compulsive, about symmetry specifically, and order in general. Tsubaki was just as, if not  _more_ , kind a soul as she'd first seemed to be; always helpful, offering notes if one of the others forgot, willing to help them study or explain anything they might not understand... as many times as it took in  _some_  cases.

Liz and Patty had changed over the years. They were calmer now, more open, more friendly; not as severe or serious. It was interesting getting to know them all over again, and enlightening; because it showed just how much Maka and Crona had changed, too. Some things were still the same, but it was surprising when they discovered something about themselves that they'd never noticed.

And then there was the confusing situations with Soul (for Maka) and Ragnarok (for the both of them). Soul was like a roulette: going from calm to angry (usually not at either of them) to laid back, but the worst were the thankfully rare times he went morose and quiet. Maka never knew what to do, and the others advised leaving him alone; he never spoke of what had him so upset.

Then Ragnarok had taken to escorting them to class and telling them about the school, but it didn't escape either of their notice that his appearance rarely came without Donna and -they had learned his name- Aiden in the wings. The classroom situation had devolved into an all-out war between the two girls, with snide remarks and special detentions -that didn't seem to be  _working_ \- becoming ever more frequent...

Maka let her head fall against her desk, growling low in her throat at the thought of the raven-haired menace. She sighed, gathered her things, and was among the first out of class. After casting a scathing glare at a certain short raven, Maka turned to the others, "Crona and I have to go now. See you next week."

 _People._  Why did it have to be  _people_? She'd have rather faced- Wait... no, they were technically people, too.

As soon as they got back to their rooms, Maka threw herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow, "I hate her! What reason does she have to be so nasty to us other than for the pleasure of it? I hate her! Hate her hate her hate her!" she let out another muffled screech.

Crona settled beside her and pet her from her head to her shoulders, "School is hard. But we can handle this."

Maka's thoughts were black as she glared at an undefined spot on the wall. The only way she wanted to fix it was to hold that evil girl against the wall by her throat and- She perked up and turned to Crona, "Let's go out tomorrow. We can have some fun away from all these - these...  _people_."

* * *

Liz slammed the short, dark-haired girl back against the lockers, pinning her there with a strong arm across her collar, "Now listen here, you little bitch: if you don't leave Maka and Crona alone, you aren't even going to live to regret it."

Donna struggled against her hold and snarled at her, "Really? What are you going to do about it?"

Liz leaned close and smiled in a way that sent tremors through the other girl, "Me? Honey, all I've gotta do is sit back and say I never saw you the day your body turns up."

"You don't scare me, Elizabeth Thompson! I won't be intimidated by your low-class ghetto attempts!"

Liz's face darkened and she tilted her head to hide her eyes, "You know, I came here to save your worthless, ungrateful life. I wasn't worried about  _Maka and Crona_ , you stupid whore. It's not the fact that they now run with the son of Death, or that they're wards of the Snake Witch, children of a Death Weapon and another powerful Witch; none of that affected my assessment in the least. It's the fact that one doesn't fuck with one of the Black Dragon Twins if they value their lives.

"But  _now_ , when you've managed to insult not only me and my sister, but the ones that saved our lives; I  _really_  hope you don't listen to me. I hope you ignore my warning, I hope you go pick on Crona, and tease Maka; I really do. Because I'm going to sit back and watch them take you the hell apart piece by fucking piece, and I'm going to laugh at your screams and pleas for mercy and say 'I told you so' while they make you wear your insides on your outsides. And not only am I going to tell the authorities I didn't see you the day you died, I'm going to give Maka and Crona an unbreakable alibi just to spite your bloody corpse."

The little twat was finally getting the picture, "I-I-I-"

"If you're attempting to apologize, don't even bother trying: 'forgiveness' isn't in my low-class, ghetto vocabulary." she shoved the dumb girl away, "Go ahead and try your shit on one of them when you aren't in the safety of a classroom, I  _dare_  you: I've told her the rules around here and Maka will have no issue popping a pathetic little bitch-blister like yourself. Get out of my sight before I take it upon myself to practice my marksmanship in the halls. Not supposed to hit students, but maybe I'll just have a temporary bout of  _very_  bad aim."

She fled.

Liz snorted and turned on her heel, stalking off down the hall. She slowed when she saw Kid waiting for her at the corner, "You're being very protective of the new students..."

She wasn't, really. She was honestly just smoothing the way, because she hadn't been lying. If threatened and given the go-ahead, Maka and Crona wouldn't tolerate being bullied, they'd put down their enemies swiftly and mercilessly. You didn't fight against the Black Dragon Siblings unless you were willing to risk your limbs at the very least, because they didn't know  _how_  to pull their punches: they had two modes, lethal and non-lethal. And bludgeoning and dismemberment didn't belong resolutely to the former.

"I'm not. Think of it as a public service announcement."

"Why do Maka and Crona need a service announcement?"

"Because if people keep messing with them, someone's going to get hurt, and it won't be those two."

"Wh- how do you know that?"

"Because I know  _them_."

"Oh. Well what can you tell me about them?"

"The same thing I've been telling everyone else: don't fuck with them."

"Liz-"

"No, Kid. Patty and I knew them before we met you, we owe them. Leave it at that. I won't tell you more; I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not our story to tell."

"But-"

"No."

Liz and Kid looked at the almost-forgotten third member of their party, "Patty?"

The small blonde shook her head, "You can't take their secrets."

Kid hesitated, the rare serious tone in the younger Thompson's voice inciting it, "Why is that?"

"Because... Because when there's nothing left... no food, no blankets, no place to sleep, no name to be called... then our secrets are the only thing we have left. And that makes it more important and special when they're shared then, because that means you're one of theirs now, too."

Liz pulled her sister close and rubbed her arm reassuringly, "Well said, Patty. Very well said."

111111


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, my lovely readers: I'm in need of some inspiration from you all. Please review the chapter, leave me some ideas and comments; and let me know what you thought of the excitement this chapter!

121212

Medusa sat back in the empty suite with her ankles crossed and a mug of hot coffee and started reading through the pages of the rainbow-covered diary, wanting to know everything that she could glean about her best friend's last living months.

Sid and Nygus' worries were abated when she assured them the children wouldn't need to be corralled today, and hid the amused smile at their obvious sighs of relief. Likely they were happy they wouldn't have to run around the castle and could actually use their free time for themselves.

On their way out, with suppressed laughter heavily lacing her tone, she asked them to please let Mifune know he could come out of hiding and that he wouldn't have to go anywhere near the catacombs, since she knew how twitchy it made him after the last incident where the Little One had nearly -completely by accident- barbequed the swordsman.

The siblings shared a highly amused look and told her that they'd be  _more than happy_  to let him know.

* * *

Soul held the letter in his hands, scowling at the criminal paper before bunching it into an unrecognizable ball in a fit of temper and throwing it against the wall of his dorm where it bounced and landed on the floor with its myriad siblings. The oddly gothic, poetic thought ran through his head as he watched it.  _I carpet the floor of my room with my broken dreams._

Then he scoffed at himself and stuck his hands in his pockets. He didn't know why he even tried anymore, it's not like his parents  _ever_  accepted an invitation from or about him, not like they ever gave a word of praise when he excelled at one of his classes or tests. Really, he didn't even know why he still tried. Apparently he just wasn't worth it to them; how many rejections would it take to get it through his thick skull?

Furious with himself for even being upset about his retarded parents in the first place, he stalked down the hall and pounded on the gaudiest door in their tower. Blackstar peeked out with a yawn, "Hey man, what's up?"

"Get dressed and let's go."

"Where we goin'?"

"I want to cause some trouble."

"Aw, hell yeah! Be ready in just a minute!"

* * *

Medusa opened the door, surprised to see a Second-Level in her wing, "Yes, can I help you?"

"Um, yeah, I think- I mean I hope so... I mean- I- Can I speak to Crona?"

She peered around the tall teen to see a smaller raven, "And you?"

Tsubaki bowed, "Um, I was hoping Maka and I could talk."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you both, but Maka and Crona are both out at the moment."

"Ohh..."

The taller teen fidgeted, "Um, may I ask what they went out for?"

"Fresh air."

* * *

Maka fell through the sky, her weapon Materializing in her right hand as she dove, eyes trained on the small speck in the distance, on the ground, as death descended behind her on black wings. She brought her scythe up and cut down in a graceful arc, the impact sinking the ground under her target and landing them in the bottom of a crater, Crona's sword blocking her scythe's blade.

With a careless flick, he sent her back into the air, and she carefully curled into a ball to avoid the equally sharp talons that aimed for her middle, flipping over them and hitting the ground at a roll that she used to bring her back to her feet, sensing the attack and raising the haft of her weapon behind her back to block the sword with a clang of metal meeting metal ringing out through the forest.

Green and black eyes locked for an instant in rivalry, then they backed off at the same time and dove for cover as destruction tore through the forest on a spined tail, leveling several fully-grown trees and any number of saplings. Maka planted the butt of her scythe in the ground and leaned all her weight against it, stopping the rampant limb cold. She spun her weapon and dug the blade deeply into the earth, grounding and trapping the tail. Then she checked her footing, and began racing up the steep living mountain, constantly adjusting her balance with the expertise of long practice.

The spines went from small bumps to enormous and very lethal spikes bigger than she was tall, and she weaved in and out of them without faltering. With a thought, her weapon on the ground dematerialized and returned to her as the great creature realized the trap and decided to break free of it entirely by taking flight. Maka again Manifested and hooked the blade of her scythe around one of the spines to keep her footing as they rose into the air.

One aerial barrel roll later, she realized she wasn't the only one on-board as Crona flipped up onto the back from the leg he'd been clinging to, forcing her to change her footing in order to avoid the thrust of his sword. Putting her back to the closest spike, she hefted her scythe and swung it around, aiming without looking for the spot where her opponent's neck would be. She felt the resounding clang as he blocked her swing, and lost her balance as he grabbed the haft and pulled.

Instead of letting him gain the advantage, she once again dematerialized the weapon, and used the momentum he'd given her to grab the spine and swing around feet-first, smirking as she connected solidly with his stomach and sent him tumbling down the black scaled hide. It would have sent him careening into the earth hundreds of feet below... if their unwilling transportation hadn't decided at that very moment to do another roll.

Maka groaned as the fast movement slammed the spine she'd just been using into her shoulder with significant force, grimacing as she was forced to hold onto it with her injured arm, her other automatically forming her scythe and latching it to the adjacent spike for a stronger hold.

A roar shook the enormous body and she ground her teeth as she hung on stubbornly. When they came back around, Crona was hanging to the very end of the tail with all he had. Maka left him and made her way in the opposite direction, switching from running between the spines to jumping up each new one as they went into a sharp ascent. It got harder to breathe the higher they went, and she shivered as the cold ate into her body, her breath leaving in huffs of fog.

She knew she was almost there when the spikes quickly started getting smaller in size again, and the area they came from narrowed. Finally she rested on one of the last spines and firmly wrapped her legs around the freezing cold, metal-like cylinder, locking her ankles, and swinging her body around the other side, her back meeting smooth solidity as she was forced backwards by both gravity and velocity. Clenching her jaw, she swung her scythe with all her might up past where she clung and felt it connect soundly. There was a great screech and they held still in the air for moments without end.

Then the world caught up and started dragging them back down to earth in an untamed free-fall. Carefully letting go with her legs, Maka held the spikes as she floatingly made her way back towards the other end where she had first started. Crona was clinging to one of the larger spines helplessly, his arms not big enough to go all the way around it, and slipping the further they fell. Placing her feet flat against the spike she was on, held to it with nothing but her hands, she pushed off and shot up towards her target, hitting him squarely and knocking them both free.

Maka Manifested one last time and held the blade of her weapon to her brother's throat, gliding the lethal edge across his jugular without incident. There was a moment of absolute silence with nothing but the sound of the wind rushing past her ears... Then Maka grinned and held up her scythe giddily, "I WIN!" Their fall was abruptly halted as the Little One came out of his 'dead' dive, spun in the air, and caught them both in warm claws, wings snapping out to hold them in the air again. Maka jumped up and down, hugging the breath out of Crona, "I did it! Twice in a row! Undefeated champion Maka!"

Little One cooed at them purringly, happy whenever they were happy, and Crona just buried his face in his sister's neck, "Congratulations, Maka."

She beamed at him, then let him go, put her hands on her hips, and spun to their pet, "You really need to try harder. It's been..." she paused to count, " _Four_  sessions since you last won! Wow..." she blinked, "We must be getting better."

Little One didn't care whether he won, playing with his two people was enough to keep him happy. The siblings scrambled up his body to their places on his neck, resting against each other, and smiled contently as they flew around to cool off after their training.

121212


	13. Chapter 13

131313

Maka liked her life to be simple. Organized; routine: simple. Pain was simple. It wasn't an emotion, wasn't a thought; it was a physical sensation that didn't require any additional input to be what it was; didn't change suddenly and without reason: it was simple. The feel of a blade gliding over her skin, the momentary searing pain, the line of blood, the false numbing sensation: simple.

She liked school work for the same reason. Spelling was tricky, but static; equations didn't change, even when they did, numbers didn't operate differently in this problem than they did in that one: simple. Like her life had been; predictable. When her parents were around, she knew she was going to be in pain, that she was going to be forced to do something that made her a failure, shredded and then stomped upon what fragile self-worth she  _didn't_  have. She knew.

And that was why Maka hated people, she really did. People were evolving, dependent,  _complicated_ ; and she hated that. Maka didn't like emotions: emotions  _hurt_ , which wasn't at all like  _pain_. People were entirely too emotional: too angry, too lusty, too insecure, too... too much! They  _changed_ : they went from comforting, loving parents to sociopaths that sold their children; they went from happy, dependable friends to wary strangers that shied away; they were cold and arrogant and sarcastic and insulting, and warm and embarrassed and concerned and caring, and she  _just couldn't take it!_  People  _lied_! They lied and said they'd always be there for you and that they'd always love you no matter what and that they'd protect you; but then they went and abandoned you, they caused pain and  _hurt_  you, and they left you broken and bleeding and begging for help that they never gave.

No, Maka didn't like people at all. She liked it even less when she felt like she was becoming one. People never did something without a personal gain behind the action: this she knew as the indisputable rule of the universe. Medusa helped them, took them in, provided for them because it was her  _job_ , and she expected them to pay her back in work. 'Friends' only flocked together so they could use one another to make more contacts, climb higher up the social ladder, gain more personal power. Teachers taught because they were paid, they looked out for students because those who weren't in top condition didn't work as well; didn't fulfill their end of the bargain. Curiosity about another person was merely a way to gain an advantage of sensitive information that could later be used against that person.

All of which made it so confusing when Tsubaki cornered her outside of class with a look of absolute relief on her face just -she explained- for finding Maka and her brother  _safe_. Why did she care? It wasn't something Maka understood. 'Kindness' was a word for a certain way of holding oneself: a belief that if something were done this way, it would be paid back somehow; most usually with ulterior motives behind the 'kind' actions.

Tsubaki didn't have any of that. She wasn't looking for anything from Maka. Her soul exuded pure, open...  _good-heartedness_. It was weird. There was no duplicity in the girl at all, no deception, no malice whatsoever. It just... wasn't  _natural_.

But like she did in all situations in which she wasn't on certain ground, Maka played to her audience, smiling at the other girl and giving a short statement that she and Crona were fine, merely having gone out for sibling-bonding over the weekend. She followed the raven into class and took her usual seat, frowning at the odd emptiness she felt and trying to pinpoint the reason. It was quiet. Too quiet.

She glanced around to see the big-mouthed one missing, and noticed the other who was conspicuous only by his absence. Had he really been around her so much the last week that him not being there left a hole in her newly organized life? Maka tried not to let that thought eat at her.

"Where are Blackstar and Soul?"

Kid spoke from above, "They got into serious trouble over the weekend. They were suspended and won't be back until Wednesday."

"Suspended for what?"

"That I don't know. But we can assume it's particularly bad since Father wouldn't tell me."

Maka nodded absently, turning back to the front of the room, that thought from earlier taking deeper root and blooming. Why did she care? It hadn't been mere want of information, she'd been...  _worried_ , about-

No. She didn't worry about  _people_. Maka's only concern was taking care of Crona and herself. She was re-establishing connections with the Thompsons, but that wasn't the same as  _caring_. Caring meant leaving yourself open to  _hurt_ , which was so much worse than pain, and she'd learned her lessons about that long ago. With that firmly in mind, she shoved the crimson-eyed boy from her thoughts and focused on the lecture at hand.

* * *

Maka hesitated, biting her lip. What was the point of this? She already knew that Soul would be back in class, she knew  _when_  he would be back, and she knew -kind of-  _why_  he wouldn't be back until then. Really, what more information could she find out?

Why did she even  _want_  to find out? It showed a disconcerting amount of concern for someone who wasn't Crona. Was this the friendship thing Tsubaki spoke of? It was uncomfortable: that squirming feeling in her stomach, the tickle of fear for another person at the back of her mind. If this was friendship, it sucked.

She should turn around right now and go back to her room and study with her brother. ...Except her feet wouldn't listen to her, and she  _was_  already here...

And then there was Lady Medusa telling them to go out and make friends. Maka took a deep breath and sighed through her nose. She'd never been this intimidated by a simple  _door_ , not even when it had come to her parents. She was undefeated champion Maka, wasn't she? This was something she could do!

Her expression firmed with a nod and she raised her hand to knock... Freezing half-way through the motion as she again went back to worrying her lip between her teeth as her courage deserted her. Maybe she really should just go back to her room and go to bed.

As if sensing her thoughts, the door opened and there stood the subject of her turmoil: Soul looking just as surprised as she felt, "Maka? What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, I-" She floundered aimlessly. In all her worry over knocking on the door, she'd never thought of a way to phrase her actual questions. She was almost certain 'What did you do to get suspended?' would be taken the wrong way, and would seem pointlessly rude and prying on top of it. Dammit. "Ts-Tsubaki said you were, um, suspended."

Crimson eyes blinked at her, "Yeah? What's up? Tsubaki already dropped by for Star."

Right! Maka fumbled for her bag, pulling out the homework she'd volunteered (why?) to bring to him, "H-here: your homework."

Soul nodded and took it from her, tossing it carelessly behind him, "...Is that all?"

She opened her mouth to say the instinctive, defensive 'yes' before closing it again, groping after some way to get her concerns across. Her shoulders slumped and she handed him her notebook, "Here, my notes from class. I already did my work."  _How_  she'd managed it just after class with all the thoughts running through her head would forever remain a mystery, and it wouldn't surprise her at all if she missed half the questions.

"Thanks, Tiny Tits."

Feeling a wash of indignation role over her, Maka bit the inside of her cheek to keep from snapping back at him. Soul didn't  _seem_  to mean it as an actual insult, and it really wasn't his fault that it rubbed a bleeding mental wound. As much as she wanted to snap back, to  _hurt_  back, the way she hurt, it would get them both nowhere and she knew it would only end up making her feel worse in the end. It also wasn't likely (quite the opposite, in fact) to get her the answers she'd started out this crazy chore to get.

"I..." She let out another breath, face scrunching and head tilting back and forth as she mentally battled herself.  _Come on, Maka! It's a simple sentence, spit it out! Rip it off in one go, you know that's the best way to deal with painful things!_

She glanced back up at Soul, who was standing there with his arms crossed and leaned against the doorframe, eyebrows raised in silent query.

Maka felt herself puff up at the unspoken challenge and straightened, "I was wondering- and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, though I suppose that goes for all questions, but I would really like to know- that is-" She took another breath and bit out the point she had been trying (failing) to make: "what did you do to get in enough trouble that you were suspended for?"

Soul stared at her incredulously, "That's what you wanted to know?" At her nod, he shrugged, "Star and I went on a...  _spree_ , in the gym, and ended up trashing everything. I broke a couple bleachers, and Blackstar dropped a bunch of weights trying to set up a prank, leaving holes in the floor and a couple in the walls. We were suspended for our 'Blatant disregard for school property, safety regulations, and the potential harm we could have caused' -to ourselves and others- 'with our juvenile foolishness.' "

That was technically what she'd asked for, yes; but not really the thing she'd wanted to know. Maka chewed on the inside of her lip and looked away, wonder about the best way to phrase it.

Soul rolled his eyes, "Just say it." Her eyes widened and she looked up at him. Soul met her gaze unflinchingly, "You're worrying, and it's starting to bother me. I notice you do it a lot during lunch, too; do you do anything but worry and study? Quit  _thinking_  so much and just let go every now and then; you'll feel better for it."

Maka zeroed in on the change in his tone, her words heavy with the theory put into them, "...Is that why you got in trouble: to let go?"

Crimson eyes widened a fraction before narrowing as Soul straightened, "Thanks for bringing my work, Tiny Tits, and lending me your notes. See you in class."

Maka blinked at being back in the same position she'd been agonizing over just minutes ago: staring at the closed door and biting her lip in thought. She considered as her feet moved without thought to take her back to Medusa's suite of rooms.

She should be satisfied now; she had the information she'd come for and more besides. She knew what Soul had done, and she'd figured out  _why_  he'd done it; that should be enough.

But somehow she felt worse than before. Soul wasn't just in pain, he was  _hurting_. Regardless of what it meant, she  _was_  concerned about him; Maka didn't want him to hurt, certainly not because of her! Maka knew what it was like to hurt, and worse, she'd been the cause of it. She knew the instant the surprise had flashed in his eyes, changing to hurt before he raised his defenses and shut her out.

Maka finally understood why it was that she'd felt something for Soul. Because despite his cool attitude, his good humor, his loyalty to his friends; underneath the mask of Soul Eater Evans, he was like  _her_. Soul knew what it was like to be hurt, he was like her and Crona.

Dammit, she failed at this school thing so hard. Her first friend; and she'd messed it up royally at the first available opportunity.

Medusa looked up from reading as the younger blonde walked in, "How was your day?"

Tears sheening her eyes, Maka closed her bedroom door behind her with a slam.

131313


	14. Chapter 14

141414

Maka let out a sigh as she flopped face-first on her bed and her head hit her pillow with a muffled 'fwup'. It was  _easy_  to learn, yes. But it was also incredibly  _tedious_. Tiring in a whole new way she'd never experienced before. She'd never thought she'd find herself giving in to  _mental_  exhaustion. Really, who did that?

And it wasn't only that, but her body was screaming at her with excess energy that she was  _failing_  to channel solely into her schoolwork. Maka could practically  _feel_  her muscles atrophy. Two times a week on the weekend just was not enough to keep her in shape. The whole situation was having a massive negative effect on her mood and personality in general. It made her irritable, and edgy, and  _wary_. She'd started eyeing Crona earlier in class, it was  _that_ bad. She refused to believe it had anything to do with her fallout with Soul the previous day.

If something didn't give soon, someone was going to say or do the wrong thing around her or her brother, and somebody was going to end up dead. She didn't even want to  _think_  about the consequences of that happening.

Maka's head turned to stare at the pile of (not her own) homework resting on her dresser, wondering if she dared go back to the North wing after yesterday.

Maka pushed up from her bedding decisively. If she was never willing to take a step forward, she'd never get anywhere. She had to move forward to move on, potholes aside. So she grabbed the assignments, her notes from class, and, after a moment's hesitation, one last thing.

Then she left for Soul's room, finding herself there in less time than she'd thought (hoped).

Books hugged to her chest like a shield, Maka very carefully  _didn't_  think, not letting her worry cripple her, and knocked on the door, her heart dropping and pounding in nervousness form somewhere around her knees. Surprised crimson eyes blinked sleepily at her, "Maka?"

The expression was unguarded for only a moment before shadowing.  _I did this to him._  Soul had obviously been asleep before she'd disturbed him. Maka thrust the books at him, "I brought you your homework. Again..." She fiddled for a moment before letting go and holding out the last thing.

Soul once again turned and tossed his work with absolutely no regard for it, plucking the offering from her hand and raising a brow, "Chocolate?"

Maka blushed at the tone of voice he used even as the small change in expression heartened her. But how to explain her reasoning?

It had been earlier that, leaving class late for lunch, thinking about how to apologize to Soul, ironically, when the answer appeared before her in the form of Liz and Tsubaki talking just outside in the hall. Not wanting to get caught, Maka had waited at the door, unwillingly listening in as Tsubaki started crying and telling Liz about how the boy she'd been seeing, still in Japan, had broken it off with her over a letter because he didn't want a long-distance relationship. Maka had only been half listening, too focused on her own boy troubles, when Liz had apparently hugged the other girl and invited her over to Death Manor with the promise of an all-night movie-session with girl-talk, ice cream, and endless amounts of chocolate. Tsubaki and Maka had been as confused then as Soul was now, until Liz spoke with authority and the reassurance: "Yes. Take my word for it: chocolate fixes everything, especially boy problems."

Apparently Soul had been as unaware of it as Maka had been, and now she felt like a fool as she tried to explain, "Liz... she said- she said chocolate fixes everything. Especially boy things. I- I'm sorry for-" she paused. How was she supposed to finish that? 'Hurting you'? She always got defensive when Crona asked if he'd hurt her: it made her feel weak, even if it was true. "I'm sorry I upset you. I shouldn't have pried."

Soul's cheeks turned pink, "Nah, it's fine. I just got mad because... actually, I don't even know. It's not important, though. Thanks for your notes yesterday, they really helped. Your writing is really neat, too; not at all like my kishin-scratch."

Maka shook her head, "Your writing is fine! I like the way it looks." her own face flamed and she looked away, "I-I should go..."

Soul caught her hand as she tried to slip away, "Wait, Ti-  _Maka_ , I'm sorry, too. It was uncool to close you out like that. I just... I'm not used to people asking."

Maka froze as those words turned to something completely different run through the translator of her mind: ' _I'm not used to people_ _ **caring**_ _.'_  they said. She knew, she wasn't used to anyone caring either, wasn't sure quite why (or maybe that was just denial)  _she_  cared. But...

"I do... ask, I mean. I- there's a lot I want to know."

She glanced back to see him grinning at her with sharp teeth, "Thanks. Anytime you want to know, just ask, kay? I'll do my best to answer, to not snap."

Maka smiled back, the expression foreign in a place without her brother, not hidden from the world at large, "I will..."

Soul let her hand slip from his, and even through her glove, Maka found herself missing the heat as she walked away.

* * *

Crona peeked into his sister's room with his books clutched to his chest, heart skipping a beat in panic when he didn't find her, "Maka?" She wasn't in his room, he'd just come from there, but she'd come from class with him...

 _It's okay, Crona, just stay calm..._  A complete search of the rest of the suite from top to bottom found nothing, and it was  _then_  that he began to panic. Lady Medusa wasn't there either so he couldn't ask her. The edges of his books were leaving marks on his hands they were held so tightly. Staring anxiously at the front door, Crona hesitantly approached and opened it, peeking out into the (empty) hall and hastily ducking back in, his heart pounding against his ribs.

That hadn't been so bad. Another three looks later, the pink-haired boy stepped into the hall, the door at his back as he looked up and down the empty hallway, "Maka?" he closed his eyes and hugged his books, "Maka!"

Nothing. Not even anyone else yelling at him. Well, that was different... Normally Crona couldn't talk to anyone except Maka, and maybe Lady Medusa, without getting hurt.

Feeling braver, Crona set off down the hall in search of the ash-blonde, though not daring to knock on any doors. "Maka! Sister! MAKA! Sisterrrr!" he took a particularly deep breath: "MAKAAAAAA!"

It appeared everyone was either busy doing something important... or they'd all been abducted by aliens. Maybe devoured by Kishin. Crona's increasingly frantic calls not even getting anybody to peek out of their rooms.

Crona sighed. While it was nice to be able to walk about without worrying about how to act around people, he'd much rather have put up with others if he could just have his sister back with him. It wasn't even for the sake of his school work anymore, he just wanted his sibling back. Tears in his eyes, he closed them and took another deep breath, "Mak-"

"Hey, Short Stuff."

"Aaaah!" Crona's back hit the wall and he flinched, "Don't do that! I don't know how to handle being snuck up on!"

Ragnarok smirked, "Screaming works. It's the popular response, as a matter of fact. So you did just fine, really..."

Crona blinked, not being hit for shouting, or for telling the older teen what to do, then being praised... How was he supposed to deal with that?! "I-I did?"

"Yup." Ragnarok said, popping the 'p' at the end. "So what are you doing all the way here near South tower?"

"I'm-"

"No, wait, let me guess: looking for Maka, right?"

"Y-yeah. How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess. You really ought to get a beeper for that girl. So why were you looking for her this time?"

Crona looked down where he held his books, "I... I need help... w-with my work."

Ragnarok leaned down closer, "First level second-tier work, huh? I can handle that with my eyes closed. C'mon, I'll help ya." the elder turning on his heels and motioning further down the hall.

"R-really?" Crona struggled to catch up.

"Yeah, you have to pass all that and more to get to second-level. I never was the best student -I hated studying, always more physical- but that's beginner stuff so there shouldn't be any trouble with it."

"Wh-what about-"

"Can't Maka find you? I've noticed you two have an almost freaky connection about that."

Crona perked up, "Uh-huh!" Maka could just find him when she wanted to, she was amazing like that. All he had to do was stay in one place so she wouldn't have to chase him. And if he could show her he could do his work, too... Maka would be so proud of him!

* * *

Maka entered her room, expecting to see her brother, only to find it empty. Curious (she wasn't worried!) she checked his room, too, finding it also lacking the pink haired boy, "Crona?"

Scouring the rest of the apartment turned up nothing, either. No Crona, and no Lady Medusa that she could even ask. She didn't do it often (she never  _had_  to), but Maka closed her eyes and let her soul wavelength build up before releasing it, the echoes of her soul ringing out like ripples in water across the DWMA, minorly pinging off of people she'd come into contact with. Liz, Patty, Lady Medusa,  _Soul_ , and...  _There_. Two of them.

Maka opened her eyes, confused. What was Crona doing with... Ragnarok? Frowning, she set out again, taking dozens of turns with confidence, her brother's soul leading her flawlessly. Finally, sensing them around the next corner, Maka put her back to the wall and barely leaned around, watching as Crona and the taller teen went to a door, recognizing it as someone's personal suite by the designs on it. Crona wasn't struggling, wasn't even afraid. His soul was slightly uneasy: shy, but otherwise calm.

Maka watched as they went inside and sat down with her back to the wall, waiting for whenever Crona came back out. Except he didn't.

Maka sat there all night, glaring out over the tops of her knees, constantly monitoring her brother's soul. It never wavered, never went scared or angry, and eventually evened out into what she recognized as sleep. He never left the room that night. Maka watched.

141414


	15. Chapter 15

151515

_"Maka?" the smaller form questioned._

_The shivering girl looked at her brother, "Y-y-y-yes?"_

_"M-maybe... maybe we should go ba-"_

_"No." It didn't matter if she was freezing, Crona was warm enough, and she wasn't going to force them back unless she had to for his safety. Maka wasn't going to be the reason he was hurt by their parents. It was her fault they hadn't made it back in time for lock down in the first place._

_"It's cold..."_

_She held him closer in her arms, "I'll k-keep you warm, I p-p-p-promise. It's all alright. Go t-to sleep."_

_Crona burrowed deeper into her embrace, "What about you?"_

_"I-I'm f-f-f-fine." she lied through her blue lips. Sensing Crona was about to protest again, Maka started humming the wordless tune she'd used as a lullaby for as long as they could both remember. Crona was silent, never wanting to interrupt her, and eventually became limp in sleep. Maka continued the wordless singing, laying her cheek on his soft pink locks and ignoring the chill winds that blew through her meager clothes._ _**I'll keep you safe, Crona. I promise, I won't let you get hurt if I can stop it.** _

_Numb from the cold and lulled by her own humming, the warmth of her brother held in her arms, Maka drifted off to sleep._

_"Maka!" The small ash-blonde was ripped from sleep by the frightened cry and frigid wind hitting her front as Crona was yanked from her grip by a larger form._

_"Crona!" The strange person started running away and Maka forced herself up, running as fast as her chilled, short legs could, "Cronaaa!" Her Crona, her beloved little brother. She couldn't lose him, she'd promised. She couldn't lose him, she couldn't! "CRONAAAA!"_

* * *

Opening bleary eyes in a flash and seeing the foggy, unfamiliar form towering over her, Maka did as she'd learned through experience and shot her hand out, palm flat up, with as much force as she could put into the single hit from a still position.

"Argh!"

She scrambled to her feet, heart racing, as her vision began to clear. Something grabbed onto her arm, and she'd have attacked if it hadn't been the hold of someone she knew better than herself. Maka blinked down at the pink clinging to her arm and shaking, "Crona?"

A groan came from the other side of the hall as Ragnarok pushed himself upright, rubbing his jaw, "Fuck, that's one hell of an arm you've got there. Good thing I've got fast reflexes, or that woulda broke my jaw." he got to his feet, still holding his face, "Remind me not to try to wake you up ever again."

Maka glared venomously at him, " _Don't_  touch me."

"Noted. Not like I really wanted to in the first place. But then again, it's not often I find people sleeping in the hall outside my room."

Her glare sharpened, "You had Crona."

Ragnarok's expression cleared up and softened in a way Maka didn't understand and  _certainly_  didn't like, "He fell asleep in my chair in the middle of a problem." Maka opened her mouth to argue when he held out her brother's books, "And here's his work."

Maka took the books, holding them to her chest and staring at the floor, grinding her teeth. God, she hated people. "Thank you." she ground out, knowing it was the social interaction expected of her, but hating it all the same. If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have spent the night away from Crona. She wouldn't have to double-check the work, because  _she'd_  have been the one to help her brother with it in the first place. And if Ragnarok had just never entered their lives, Crona wouldn't have  _depended_  on him.

They could never depend on anyone else except each other. Anything else always resulted in getting betrayed: in being hurt again. She wouldn't let that happen again, Crona couldn't take another let down. She didn't think she could, either...

Maka didn't look at the older male, grabbing Crona's hand and pulling him along back to their rooms so they could get ready for the day, the walk scathingly silent. Crona knew when to leave her be, and this was one of those times. They separated in the suite, going to get showered and changed for the day. Breakfast was equally quiet between them, Maka hastily doing her own work and then checking Crona's against it, frustratingly, they were all correct. Did Ragnarok have  _no_  flaws?

By the time she'd stuffed their books in their bags and they were ready to head for class, Crona couldn't take it any longer: "...Maka? Why are you mad?"

Maka opened her mouth to tell him not to worry about it, like she always did when she didn't want Crona to worry himself too much, but that wasn't what came out. Between being... being  _replaced_ , and not being there for her little brother when he needed her, having Ragnarok step up, do just as well, do  _better_  than she could have, and the pain in her chest that Crona had gone with the other boy instead of finding her, of managing to sleep perfectly fine without her, something inside Maka snapped.

"..." The words were too quiet to hear.

"Sister?"

Maka's head was tilted, hiding her eyes, "You chose him." her head snapped up, glassy, blazing emerald eyes burning into the pink-topped teen, "You  _chose_  him, Crona! Stayed with him, studied with him, slept with him! You- you  _trusted_  him. Over me, you trusted him!"

Crona looked stricken, shaking his head, "Sister, no. I-I didn't trust him, I didn't!"

He reached for her, and for the first time in their lives, Maka stepped back out of reach, the hurt flashing over her face, breaking her mask, before she dropped his bag and turned away, running off down the halls for their first class.

Crona stood there frozen, not knowing what to do. How could he deal with  _this_?! How could he handle Maka leaving him?! Maka had never left him before! And it was his fault. All his fault! What had he done to his sister?! Tears coursed down his face, "Maka..." Crona forlornly picked up his bag and made his way down the hall, huddled into himself and ignoring all the other students.

"Short stuff!"

Crona stiffened, glancing towards Ragnarok out of the corner of his eye, hugging himself and firmly ignoring the older boy, turning away when the other walked beside him. Crona liked Ragnarok. He was the only one (besides Maka) that had ever stood up for him, helped him. But he  _wasn't_  Maka, and Crona would always choose his sister, and apparently it was him being around Ragnarok that had made her so sad. So even though he liked the older boy, he couldn't be around him anymore, couldn't talk to him, couldn't hurt Maka like that again.

"Crona?"

"Go away. I can't talk to you anymore. Just please, leave me alone."

Ragnarok frowned and Crona closed up even more. It would come any moment now: now that he had turned away from him, rejected him, the other teen would turn on him. Crona braced for a shove or hit, a jostle or trip. But none came. He glanced at Ragnarok again, the older boy didn't look angry, he looked... sad, "'Kay, then... guess I'll talk to you later..."

Crona let out a relieved breath when Ragnarok walked on ahead, glad that the other had left instead of hurting him even as his chest felt heavy and uncomfortable. He kept his eyes on the floor, not letting anyone bother him. He wouldn't break down, he wouldn't be even more of a burden to Maka. He just had to keep calm and make it to class. Keep calm and make it to...

Crona stopped in his tracks and looked around. Where was his class again, anyway? They hadn't played in the classes part of the school over the summer, only the dorms and lower levels, and he'd always been with Maka or Patty when he went to class. He'd never had to pay much attention to it...

Crona stomped heavily on his rising panic; closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. He could do this, just... down this hall and make a... a right! Then through the four-way.

 _And around this corner..._  And then it was a straight away with a right at the end of the hall! Crona perked up, he'd be late, but he could make it all on his own!

The pink-haired teen let out a relieved breath and reached for the doorknob, heart stuttering and letting out a frightened squeak as a hand held the door closed and someone pressed near him from behind.

"What's the matter? Are you... lost?"

 _Too close, too close. Back up, back up! Get away!_  "N-n-n-no, I-I-I'm f-f-fine."

"See, that's what I have a problem with. Because I've heard you've been messing with my little sister." Crona looked back fearfully, the tall, well-muscled boy towering over him, long blonde hair trailing down past his shoulders and blue eyes glittering frighteningly.

"S-s-s-sister?"

"Donna, my little sister."

Crona turned around fully and pressed himself back against the door in terror, shaking and wanting nothing more than to sink into the wood. No, what he really wanted was... "...Maka..."

"What was that? That name you just whispered: that's the other one who's been tormenting Donna with you, isn't it?"

The teen held out his arm, the glitter-glow of Manifestation appearing-

Just before he disappeared from view, "Back the fuck off!" And there was Ragnarok standing in front of him, saving him again.

The other boy picked himself up, touching the back of his head and wincing -Crona blinked, had Ragnarok grabbed him by the hair and  _flung_  him down the hall?!- "Heh, what are you doing this far from class?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Seriously: what the hell? Manifesting against a First Level?"

"It's-"

"Don't even try to give me the class-hours excuse: I invented it. You and me; we're gonna have a little talk."

"Yeah, I've heard about your 'talks', people are lucky if they can walk afterwards."

"You're not going to be one of those lucky ones." Silver eyes looked over his shoulder, "Crona, go into class."

Crona nodded as well as he could, fumbling the doorknob open and slipping inside, leaving the two glaring older teens in the hall. He slid into his spot next to Maka and huddled as close to her as he could get and that she'd allow, the fear echoing off his soul convincing her to temporarily forget her anger in an effort to comfort him, and Crona sank into the safety of his sister and forgot the rest of the confusing world.

151515

* * *

**Okay, I had a wonderful moment of fridge logic (you can check out TV tropes wiki for a more in-depth explanation on that phrase) that spawned the following scene.**

* * *

**Omake: Class is (not) just a phase!**

* * *

Maka caught up to her guardian, "Lady Medusa?"

The golden blonde slowed for the younger girl, "Yes, Maka, what is it?"

"Well, I've been wondering something..."

"Well you know you can come to me with any questions."

"Okay. I was listening to Tsubaki talk about Japan, and she was explaining that we use the same letter-number system for our classes. And I was just wondering..."

"Why we use a foreign system when we're in Nevada, right?"

"Uh-huh."

Medusa crossed her arms as she spoke, "Well, the first is because it actually defaulted to the only one we had at the time. You see, Lord Death is originally from Japan. But at the school's inception, a different naming system  _was_  suggested."

"Then... why didn't we use that?"

"Because the suggested names were things like 'Crescent Moon, Full Moon, New Moon, and Gibbous Moon'."

Maka blinked, then cocked her head, "What in the world do  _those_  terms mean?!"

Lady Medusa shrugged, "No one knows. The man who suggested them was believed to be insane to come up with such nonsensical words. So you can see why we defaulted to the Japanese system..."

* * *

**For the (hopefully) few that didn't get it: The moon of Soul Eater never changes. Yet Maka's (okay, technically** _**Stein's)** _ **class is called Class Crescent Moon, _a_** _**s if there were any other kind in canon.** _ **Thank you for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

161616

Liz was watching from the moment the other siblings entered the Cafeteria. She knew something had been wrong when they'd been in class earlier, and it was only more obvious now. Never had the pair sat apart in all the time she'd known them: now Crona sat two complete (empty) spaces away, sunk into himself, and Maka was absolutely  _buried_  in the book in her hands. There were so many things wrong with this picture.

If Liz didn't know better, she'd say they'd had an argument. Which in itself was insane, because Maka and Crona  _never_  argued; it was almost supernatural. Then again, she supposed, it was also understandable. If either of their parents had sense that weakness in the two, they'd probably have been dead instead of sitting at the table ignoring each other now.

Crona and Maka were like her and Patty. She and her sister would get in little spats, but she always kept the  _really_  bothersome things to herself because she was older and it was her job to protect Patty. She'd more often than not let Patty win whatever little disagreement sprouted, just because it was some of the only happiness she could give her. Maka, from what she'd seen of her over the years, was the same basic way and even more overprotective, which, again, was understandable.

Liz opened her mouth but snapped her head to the left, distracted at the loud, hollow, metallic sound.

Blackstar groaned and thumped his head against the lunch table again, "I hate all this work! What's the point of it all?!"

Soul completely agreed: the work load for the Academy was ridiculous (surprisingly for having only three-month semesters) and hours of homework nightly wasn't uncommon. He nodded and opened his mouth, "What  _is_  up with it? Seriously?" That came, oddly enough, from Liz, suitably distracted. Soul gave her a dirty look for stealing what he'd been about to say before crossing his arms and sulking.

The genuine curiosity naturally caused every head at the table to turn to their general-appointed book-worm research-girl. Maka, usually the one with all the answers, was instead staring at the pure-haired raven across from her, and everyone's gaze swung that way like loyal ping-pong watchers. Tsubaki, who had to have been Maka's conjoined (by the brain) twin in another life, blushed at being the center of attention, but nonetheless answered, "It's because we're not taking regular classes, like Math and Science. We're taught Survival, Soul Workings, Kishin Studies, Battle Prep, Tactics and Strategy, and other things completely unrelated to life outside the Academy. Most students make use of the winter break to go home and take up remedial and regular school classes. That time also gives the teachers a break so they can go out and Hunt for the school. And-"

"Ahh! What the fuck?!"

Everyone's heads swiveled to the shout, seeing a blond haired boy crouched on the ground behind Maka. The green-eyed girl stared him down coldly, still holding the heavy book she'd used as a weapon from his prying, "Knowledge can be painful for those not used to its inherent weight."

Soul smirked at the perv, "More-so when that knowledge is weighed down by a text book and pissed off teenage girl."

"I didn't even touch her!"

"...You were reaching..." Crona whispered.

The boy scowled and raised his hand at the pink teen and Crona shrunk back like he was going to be struck. Maka's gloved hand gripped his wrist harshly and he paled, mouth opening on a pained squeak. Maka glared at him, eyes like frosted gem stones, "You have seven seconds to  _beg_  for forgiveness and leave."

She didn't waste any time and tightened her hold. He squealed, "Ah! I'm sorry for looking!"

" _Not_  that: apologize to my brother!"

His terrified gaze flicked to Crona, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Crona just nodded and turned away. Maka let the boy go and he  _ran_ , not spending even another second near the insane chick. There was an uncomfortable silence around the group that was broken by Blackstar jumping on the table, "THAT WAS AMAZING! YOU MUST BE ALMOST AS STRONG AS THE MIGHTY BLACKSTAR! I DEMAND YOU HAVE AN ARM-WRESTLING MATCH WITH THE ALMIGHTY ME!"

Maka stared up at the (insane) boy, blinked, then sat back down, "Maybe some other time..."

Patty wasn't paying attention, Kid looked disapproving, Tsubaki seemed slightly horrified (whether by Blackstar's actions or Maka's wasn't clear), but Soul just looked intrigued. Liz casually took a sip of her drink, "So... what's wrong with you and Crona?"

Maka put her book on the tabletop sharply, staring at the cover, eyes flicking distrustingly to the other occupants. She opened her mouth -Liz suspected to deny any such problems- when Crona spoke up brokenly, "I was hanging out with someone I shouldn't have..."

Maka winced and remained silent. Patty finally became interested, "You made a new friend?!"

Crona glanced at his sister, but when Maka didn't speak for him, he huddled further into himself and nodded, "Uh-huh..."

Tsubaki frowned, "Shouldn't Crona be able to choose his own friends?"

Liz withheld a scowl at the hypocrisy of asking that question to the air -and\or the rest of them- instead of the boy himself.  _Note to self: don't ever get in a controlling or abusive relationship and expect Tsubaki to help._  She understood Tsubaki was just coming out a relationship herself, self-conscious about being dumped and not wanting to push envelopes, but that wasn't helping anything.

She was still throttling her annoyance when Kid asked the smart question, "Who was that 'friend'?"

"R-Ragnarok..."

Tsubaki squeaked, "No wonder Maka was worried! I've heard terrible things about him!"

Kid nodded, "Ragnarok's completely ruthless."

Soul blinked, "I haven't heard anything about him."

Blackstar, apparently feeling left out, and so confused he forgot to raise his voice, put in, "Me, either. How bad can he be if  _I_  haven't heard about him?"

"The guy doesn't know the  _meaning_  of the word 'mercy'." Kid muttered.

"He's dangerous, Crona. You should really stay away from him." Tsubaki added.

Liz ground her teeth.  _Weren't you the one just advocating people's choice?_  The elder Thompson dug into her pudding cup with a vengeance, "Well  _I've_  heard that's only in the ring, and to those that start the fights with him first."

Kid blinked at her, "How can you say that?"

Liz closed her eyes and touted her spoon at him, "Simple: that's a way of life I can understand. Not one of us here, save possibly Crona and maybe Maka, have even met the guy. Maybe we shouldn't be making rash judgments about him, hmm? Besides, Kid, you're biased against him just because-"

" _Don't_  bring  _him_  up."

"My point."

Kid attacked his food (still symmetrically), "Very well, I'll keep my admittedly non-neutral opinions to myself."

The bell rang and everyone gathered their things. Soul picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, "Maybe we'll get a chance to find out for ourselves."

"How? How?!" Patty asked.

"Blackstar and I were suspended for ruining the Gymnasium, but only until it got fixed. We're the reason the normal routine was delayed, but it's all repaired now: Gym's next."

Maka perked at that, "Gym?"

Liz shuddered, a chance for Maka the Black Dragon to unleash her wrath on the student populous...  _Death help the student that challenges her..._  The shorter blonde had a disconcerting jump to her step as they headed out, but at least she and Crona were walking together again.

The eldest Thompson snapped out of her reverie when the double doors opened into the massive space. Bleachers lined the walls and a huge blue mat was spread out in the floor with the smirking teacher standing in the middle of it, "Welcome to Physical Education, Level One! Or, as I like to call it:" Sid smirked, "Combat Class."

They were shuffled off to the left set of bleachers, the students on the opposite side of the gym looking a lot more buff and older than any of them. Liz took the moment to scan the faces, getting uncomfortable flashbacks to her and Patty's days on the street: the people who came to the underground fight clubs had looks like those, "This is the first time they've mingled both Levels together..."

Maka looked over in interest, "I never did get a satisfactory explanation for what the Levels were."

"It's... kinda like years in regular schools. I think, anyway. I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable, you know." But Tsubaki had gotten caught up in the crowd and was several loud rows back from them, "Freshmen and sophomores are First Levels, basically. It's all book-learning and stuff. When you're strong enough, smart enough, and once you have a team, they move you up to Level Two, where you can start actually taking on missions and killing Kishin. Right now we're only trainees, when you make it to Level Two is when you actually become a Meister- One-Star, specifically."

"That's... stupid. We've already hunted Kishin."

"Yeah, and because of that experience, they'll  _probably_  let us move to Second Level once we form a team and pass the exams. One thing about the DWMA, they  _do_  base on merits: you prove you've got what it takes, and they'll let you go."

Seemingly satisfied with that, Maka nodded and turned back to where Sid was giving the general guidelines and rules -non-lethal force only, fights to first blood or yield, broken bones are common and provided good practice for the Hedge-Witches healing lessons, etc. - just as he finished, "Let's jump right in with a demonstration. Two participants from Second, on the mat!"

Liz felt Maka stiffen next to her when Ragnarok sauntered from where he was leaning on the opposing side's bleachers to the middle of the mat. He manifested his great sword and pointed it up into the stands, "Damian Michaleas, step into the ring."

Crona shrunk into his sister's side as a long-haired blonde stepped up opposite Ragnarok, "Th-that's the one who cornered me outside class..."

Maka looked down at the pink haired boy in shock, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"H-he... and... Ragnarok s-saved me. He said he was D-Donna's brother. She said we were p-picking on her..."

Maka's hands fisted and she turned back to the coming fight. Liz felt a shiver go down her spine. Whether or not Damian managed to pull off a win, Liz had the feeling Donna wasn't going to be so lucky.  _Bitch, I warned you..._

161616


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you guys like the action this chapter! Several Author's Questions this time 'round: 1. Who is the mysterious 'him' Liz and Kid discussed last chapter, and what role does\will he play in Liz's storyline? Also, (this one is more curiosity because I've gotten a unanimous vote from my three beloved SE plot bunnies [you girls know who you are!]): Who wants to see a fairly even girl-fight next chapter, versus a full-on Curb Stomp battle by Maka against Donna? Let me know!
> 
> Actual notes: Damian's weapon below (the katar) can be seen on Wiki, and the example image is pretty much exactly what I pictured in my mind (albeit unadorned).
> 
> Onward!

171717

Ragnarok leaned against the cool metal as the rookies entered their very first Ass-Kicking Class, glad to see that Crona and Maka looked to be back on good -or at least  _better_ \- terms again. The younger male was just...  _fascinating_. He was shy, but there was a steel core buried deep there, he could tell. That and he was just, well,  _cute_. There was really no other word for it.

He shook his head as Sid gave the usual lecture to the firsties and ended it with a call for a demonstration battle. There wasn't an instant of hesitation in him as he stepped out onto the blue and Materialized, pointing out towards his prey. Ever since Mifune had caught them in the halls earlier, he'd throttled back his fury and let it boil, now it was time to let it explode outwards, "Damian Michaleas, step into the ring."

He gave the blonde bitch-boy credit for not pussing out and running. It'd have marked him as a coward, sure, because  _no one_  in Second Level turned down a brawl, and it wouldn't have saved him at all -the school had many dark corners with which Ragnarok was intimately acquainted- but it still took guts -or vast amounts of stupidity- to step into the ring with him as nonchalantly as the other did.

He grinned ferally, "Ready to get your ass handed to you?"

The blonde stared coolly with icy blue eyes, "We'll see about that. I won't let my sister's disgrace go unanswered."

"Your sister's a bitch. She's always been a bitch, she'll always  _be_ a bitch. She's a little troll that has all the makings of Kishin-chow, and you're just as bad by not forcing her to take responsibility for her actions."

Damian's face tightened, "Donna's been through much, the last thing she needs is torment in school."

Ragnarok's stomach twisted, "You know, I can't stand ignorant bastards like you."

The blonde's expression turned venomous, "There is  _nothing_  you can do to make me doubt my sister. She-"

"Shut up. The time for talking is done. Now be quiet and take your beating like a man."

"Very well then,  _Demon Swordsman_ , come at me." Damian manifested his weapon, a shining silver-bladed katar about two and a half feet in length, the parallel bars extending down his forearm as a defensive guard.

Ragnarok smirked and hefted his great sword effortlessly, "You really think you have a chance against me with that toothpick of yours?"

Damian smirked right back, "Big sword you have there. Overcompensating for anything?"

That wiped the smirk off his face and he swung the massive blade out to the right, bending his knees, "Come find out, bitch-boy."

"Gladly."

Ragnarok blinked and the other man disappeared. He bent backwards, barely avoiding the katar's piercing strike aimed for his throat, automatically twisting at the waist with his sword as a counterbalance and striking out with his leg, kicking the guy half-way across the mat.  _Damn, he's fast._

Then he chided himself for his idiocy. Despite the parallel bars, katar, like other push-knives, weren't meant for protection; the primary method for avoiding injury was avoiding the opponent's strikes. Ragnarok internally smirked as he saw the other boy hold his ribs.  _Which_ _ **also**_ _means any hit I actually land is going to go a long way to putting him down. And I can be fast, too._

"My turn." He ran for the other boy, watching for the tensing that meant he was going to move.  _There!_  In a flash, Ragnarok dematerialized his heavy blade, instantly increasing his speed. He raised his arm when he was within striking range, ignoring that his middle was wide open, and called his sword back on the down-swing.

He grunted in pain at the chill slice he felt on the right of his abdomen, the blade of his great sword sinking into the ground with a tremendous 'THUD', missing his target but divesting him of the bottom half of his white cloak.

Silver eyes scanned around for his prey.  _Now if I were a hit-and-runner..._  He leaned forward, low over his sword and shot his foot out behind him, earning a cut up his leg but landing a solid hit on his opponent's stomach. Not bothering to wrestle his blade from the ground it was imbedded in, he simply dematerialized it and then rematerialized as he turned into a new strike.

Damian, to his credit, immediately dropped flat on his back, his feet entwining with Ragnarok's, and flipped over, sending the other teen to the floor. In a flash he straddled the tanned teen and pulled his katar back for a quick finishing strike. A dark hand caught his wrist on the down-stroke, blood dripping to the floor from where the shining blade was imbedded three inches deep in Ragnarok's left arm, "Sorry, I'm not that easy."

Ragnarok tightened his grip on his enemy, gritting his teeth against the pain, and  _swung_. With the power he used to throw around his hundred-pound sword, his opponent went flying through the air to land on the mat with a breathless huff as all the air was slammed from his lungs. Ragnarok jumped up and immediately brought his arm down, his great sword materializing mid-swing.

There was a great 'CLANG' as their weapons met, Damian instinctively blocking when he couldn't move out of the way fast enough after being stunned. They were locked in place in a battle of strength, the blonde unable to deflect the blow in a way that wouldn't cost him the match -and, less importantly, his life. A trickle of red caught Ragnarok's attention and his silver eyes flicked to the source: Damian's own weapon. The inner parallel bar was digging into his arm from the force of the Demon Swordsman's strike.

Ragnarok grinned and pressed harder, smirking, "My win."

Damian smiled, "Not quite."

The sword-wielder's eyes narrowed as a second blade came at him. Without missing a beat, his free hand shot out and diverted the incoming hit, pushing Damian's hand and the second katar up into the air, enjoying the surprise on the other's face. It was rare to find a fighter that fought with their body and not just their weapon, but the blonde really should have expected it from their fight so far. " _Still_  my win."

The blue-eyed teen's look turned evilly devious, "Still not quite." Ragnarok froze as he felt a knee right where he least wanted it. "You  _did_  want to have children someday, yes?"

Scowling at the bastard, Ragnarok rolled away and came to his feet, both hands on the hilt of his blade and his expression black, "Time to stop fooling around, isn't it?"

Damian rolled to his feet and brandished his katar, "Couldn't agree more."

They stared each other down, looking for possible weaknesses, before the blonde moved first, coming at the raven haired teen with a thrust from his right katar and an inward slash from the left. Ragnarok dematerialized his sword and ducked under the slash and moved into the thrust, grunting in pain as the blade buried itself deep enough into his shoulder to scrape bone. He responded by driving his fist deep into his opponent's upper left side, if his aim was correct -and it almost always was-  _just_  missing rupturing his enemy's spleen.

Damian crumpled to the ground, holding his stomach and coughing, and Ragnarok brought his elbow down on the back of the blonde's neck, laying him out. The blue eyed boy was obviously unconscious -the most telling sign being that his weapons immediately disappeared in a burst of gold glitter- but he materialized his sword anyway and held it over Damian's throat, looking over to Sid, "My win."

The whistle blast echoed around the auditorium, "Victory to Ragnarok! Medical!"

Ragnarok limped back to the stands, the loss of adrenaline bringing the burning of the gash on his leg to the forefront of his mind. He sat down heavily and let the little witchlings buzz around him. One he knew well sat on his right and started working on the gaping hole in his shoulder that was leaking like a sieve, "I don't know why you can't go through a single class without winding up in my care."

He smirked at the sky-haired girl, "Because you'd miss me."

She frowned harder at him and sighed, "I hope it was worth it to you."

He looked out over the gym as Donna sat on her knees by her brother as he was tended to. Then he thought about the how terrified Crona had looked as he'd been held against the wall. He laid his head back on the stair behind him and closed his eyes, "Yeah. Yeah: it was worth it."

171717


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of important notes this chapter. First, this is a very long chapter, but I couldn't find anywhere to break it off that wouldn't get me lynched...  
> So bad news first: the next chapter (though planned out) will be a week late, with summer-start excitement and writing time cuts. Do NOT worry about schedule-slippage, this is a one-time thing.
> 
> Next, for those who will be unfamiliar with Donna's weapon (a modified Kikuchi Yari that I've named spearbreaker) and don't feel like going and looking it up: imagine a spear, now replace the spearhead with the blade of a Chef's Knife; now imagine a sturdy bayonet on the back of that.
> 
> If you like my writing and get the urge to read something in the interim, I suggest Individual Moments, and The Birth of DeathStar (if you like this chapter, you're going to LOVE the latest of that one). OR, if you want general instead of SE, you can take a Wiki Walk and can check out why TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Life on it's wiki.  
> (For those not checking out the above-mentioned fics because they are afraid of or squicked by yaoi\yuri, there will be gay couples in this fic as well; I already have three I've decided on.)
> 
> And finally, Magic Cookie goes to Eva-chan for being the most enthusiastic reviewer~
> 
> Until next time my lovies, see you in two weeks!

181818

Maka took a deep breath as they passed through the double doors, excitement buzzing in her veins. It was like stepping into her favorite nightmare and she could feel the pleasant\painful\anxious tension roll through her stomach.

Her breathing picked up as the atmosphere sank into her skin: the anticipation, the bloodlust, the mixture of excitement and fear. Maka shivered. Less than half of her mind was on Liz and the conversation they were having, too focused on the feel of the room around her.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, opening herself as she'd done so many times before, submerging herself into her best dream and worst nightmare. The confusion, anxiety,  _fear_ , of the students behind and around her gave off a hot, sour note. The excitement, anticipation, the  _hunger_ , in those on the opposite side of the gym a smoky, sweet one. Crona next to her was vibrating.

Maka opened her eyes, more open, more  _alive_ , than they'd looked since she'd been brought to this place.  _This_ was something she knew,  _this_  she understood.

That small, 'civilized' part of her was still talking with Liz, gaining 'everyday' information; the larger, darker, survivor side was absorbing Sid's every word as he explained the rules her life had revolved around for so long.

"You  _will_  bleed in this class. You will be bruised. You will suffer broken bones. Your only objective is to win, whether that means playing dirty or cheating. First Level fights are to first blood or surrender. Second Levels are to forfeit or unconsciousness.

"Leave your petty thoughts of your pretty looks behind: you  _will_  come away from this class with scars. Every injury is practice for the Hedge Witches, so by all means, don't go easy on each other.

"That said, you are  _not_  killing each other here. There are spells in place and any number of capable safeguards around to prevent fatal injuries.

"That covers the basics. Let's jump right in with a demonstration. Two participants from Second, on the mat!"

Crona's grip on her tightened and made her stiffen as she caught sight of the reason why: Ragnarok stepped out on the mat. His soul echoed with fear, not of Ragnarok, but  _for_  him: Crona was worried for the other teen.

It threw her for a loop and she desperately fumbled for mental footing even as Crona shrank back when a long-haired blonde stepped up opposite Ragnarok, "Th-that's the one who cornered me outside class..."

Maka looked down at her brother, shock reeling through her system, swiftly drowned out by hurt, "Why didn't you tell me?" Why hadn't he relied on her? Why hadn't he told her the moment it happened? Didn't he trust her to protect him?

"H-he... and... Ragnarok s-saved me. He said he was D-Donna's brother. She said we were p-picking on her..."

Maka's hands fisted and she turned back to the coming fight. Ragnarok had protected Crona. Again. Done her job. Again.

But then... She hadn't been there. What would have happened if Ragnarok hadn't been there either? The insight slapped Maka in the face. What if Ragnarok wasn't a rival to Crona, but an... ally? Logically, Crona would be twice as safe with two people looking out for him.

Not that she could trust Ragnarok. But... what if she could? It was a stupid thought: trusting someone else with the most important thing in her life.  _But_... But he had already gone out of his way to save Crona. Multiple times. Nothing was free, of course, that was just the way the world worked, but there was very little Maka wouldn't be willing to pay to keep Crona safe.

The pink haired boy's grip on her tightened when Ragnarok got injured.

No, not just safe. Maka blinked. Crona's soul when he'd been with the other boy, it hadn't just been calm or content, it had been  _happy._  For the first time in a situation that didn't involve her, her little brother had been genuinely happy. And she'd ruined that with her own selfish desires to hold him close, to coddle him.

 _I... I was wrong._  It wasn't often that Maka was wrong. But she was strong enough to acknowledge when she was. That didn't mean she was about to trust the older teen -not by a long shot- the exact opposite in fact: he would never face a more scrutinizing, strict, skeptical authority than her, but he made her brother happy, and that was worth any effort.

As a big sister, it was her job to keep Crona safe, but more, it was her responsibility to keep him happy, even if it hurt that it was without her. Maka scowled to herself internally.  _Why do all my best realizations come from bloodshed?_

She shook the thought from her head and focused back on the fight in front of her. Eyes focused and in her uniquely accepting mind-set that only came when she opened her soul to those of the people around her, Maka watched Ragnarok's battle. There was no fear in his eyes or soul, no hesitation, no flinching away from pain; only pure determination, calculation.

Nearly against her will, Maka found herself... approving of him. Ragnarok didn't play around, he didn't go for flashy moves; his every strike was an economy of motion, and even when he spoke, trying to bring his enemy out of his own fighting mind-set, he never lost sight of his ultimate goal of winning, never let himself get distracted.

Watching the satisfaction in his gaze even as he suffered injury for his winning blow, the effortless way the tall teen took a wound that would put down any number of lesser others, and he showed a cold, ruthless sort of mercy with the placement of that punch. That  _would_  have been a lethal hit if he'd been even a little lower.

Maka comforted Crona absent-mindedly as Ragnarok and his victim were tended to.  _Maybe..._

Her train of thought was derailed as she looked up and caught sight of a pair of frosted blue eyes glaring back at her next to the limp form on the mat. All thoughts of mercy and happiness and generosity fled. Fury and indignation flooded Maka's mind for all of two heartbeats before burning out and leaving cold determination behind.  _No more mercy._

The raven stood up, tears glossing her eyes as she tore off the green overcoat she wore, pulling up her skirt and fixing it in place with ties. Donna pulled her yellow hair band off and put it with her coat, exchanging it for a headband to hold back her hair. She stepped to the center of the mat as the Witches moved with her brother to the edge, pointing into the First Level bleachers, "Maka Albarn, step into the ring!"

Maka took out and re-did her pigtails, making sure they were tight enough to hold, pulled her gloves up fully, keeping her eyes on the stairs as she walked down them, not giving her opponent the respect of even acknowledging them. Donna's soul responded with frustration, with a burning black hatred and accusation. Maka didn't hate the other girl; she didn't like her, but she didn't hate her; she wasn't worthy of that emotion.

"What, nothing to say?"

"There's nothing I could say that you'd hear. You believe I'm the reason your brother lies unconscious, I blame you for tormenting mine by siccing yours on him. What room is there for words? Only battle will settle this. You've sealed your fate already, I won't try to talk you from it."

Maka finally looked up at the other girl as she stepped out on the blue padding, mentally adjusting her balance to account for the (admittedly little) squishiness; she was used to fighting on concrete. There would be no settling their differences, neither of them were willing to ford the distance between their positions. There was only one solution.

Maka closed her eyes and let out a breath, centering herself. Crona's soul was calm, free of the worry he'd shown for Ragnarok; he had complete confidence in her.  _Breathe in. Breathe out._

She sensed the change in the air: Donna Manifesting, and opened intense, emotionlessly calculating green eyes. It wasn't a weapon Maka was personally familiar with. That being said, she was still pretty certain she knew what it was. For all intents and purposes, the polearm was a modified Kikuchi Yari, with a reinforced bayonet sitting just behind the blade, giving it added piercing power, and, if Maka didn't miss her guess, snapping or controlling leverage against other polearms. It took a level of self-control for her not to smile in excitement.  _Well, this may just be interesting after all..._

Maka held her hand out, the glow of her own Manifestation appearing in a swirl. There were gasps from the ones who hadn't seen it before, or who simply hadn't paid attention the last time they had. The pure silver scythe shone in the sunlight coming in through the high-up windows of the gym, the blade ridiculously detailed; looking like a shimmering silver wing down to the tiniest feather.

It was almost expected, so Maka wasn't very surprised when Donna came after her before her weapon had even finished materializing. It was smart, really, but she doubted that was the actual reason the raven haired girl had attacked. Donna was easy to anger, and quick to act on those emotions.  _Weakness._

Maka dropped down to avoid the thrust and held her scythe in both hands to block the following downward slash. She rolled away and came back to her feet, keeping her eye on her opponent. The raven girl swung around wide, face contorted in fury. Maka dug the butt of her weapon into the mat and held fast against the strike, the clang echoing around the room.

Instead of disengaging all the way, Donna pulled back only slightly, flipped the blade around so that the haft of the scythe was trapped between the tine and blade of her own, then swung, ripping Maka's weapon from her hands. With remarkable speed, the raven flicked her wrist and sent the heavy weapon sliding across the room, instantly going into another wickedly powered strike.

Maka stepped forward to avoid the blade itself and held up her left arm, reinforcing it with her right as the shaft of Donna's 'spearbreaker' sent her flying all the way across the blue. The ash-blond pushed up to her knees, green eyes narrowed as Donna swiftly followed and flipped her weapon around, the butt of it slamming into her jaw.

Maka got up again, tasting the unbridled  _joy_  and satisfaction oozing from the other girl's soul. Donna had done that intentionally: choosing to inflict pain over going for a quick win just a simple cut to the cheek would have reasonably given her. First Levels fought to first blood, and it was becoming obvious Donna would delay that as long as possible. She didn't just want Maka to lose, she wanted her  _defeated_.

Maka got back to her feet, not moving as her dark-tressed rival swung back around with the back part of her weapon, sweeping her legs out from under her and dropping her backwards, blond head smacking into the cement floor off the edge of the mat.

* * *

Blackstar squeezed her shoulder and leaned forward, "Maka's getting her ass kicked out there!"

Liz snorted, "What fight are you watching?"

The blue-haired boy looked at her incredulously, making over-exaggerated hand motions between where they sat and the fight going on below, "What fight are YOU watching?! Maka's being turned into a paste out there! She-"

"Hasn't even swung her scythe yet." Liz interrupted.

Blackstar froze with his mouth open, closing it and turning thoughtful, "...Are you saying Maka's only -what?- playing with her?"

Liz glanced over to Crona on her other side, a shudder going through her. The pink-haired boy's bangs were covering his eyes, but an enormous grin sat on his lips. She turned back to Blackstar, eyes on the battle, "This? No, this isn't playing: it's an assessment. Maka's still deciding if Donna's  _worth_  toying with..."

Blackstar's jaw dropped, "You're kidding me."

The tall blonde pulled a wad of bills from her pocket, "Three hundred bucks says otherwise." Seeing Blackstar's eyes widen, she took mercy on him, "The last fight was between two who were basically equals in training and experience. I don't care how much of a rich bitch Donna is, how much training she's gotten; Maka's known true battle." She raised her voice, "I bet three hundred dollars Maka puts Donna in the dirt, and an additional two notes that she does so with extreme prejudice."

The boy from earlier -Liz's memory spat up the name Hiro- leaned down, "I'm in on that. My money's on the black-haired bitch putting her in her place."

Liz smirked up at the foolish boy, "You're on. Pass it around." she turned back to the fight as the word spread and money was pulled out.  _Show them all, Maka; teach them all why you don't fuck with the Black Dragon Twins._

* * *

The raven brought the butt of her weapon down on the curled up blonde's hip again and again, striking every spot she could reach, hatred in every move. Why. The. HELL. Wasn't. She. REACTING! With a furious scream, she pulled back and flipped her Kikuchi Yari over, blade side down, and brought it down on her opponent's still form.

The white-gloved left hand shot up and caught the incoming weapon just below the blade. Donna started and tried to pull back, her spearbreaker not moving even an inch, "What the hell?!"

Maka sat up and pushed to her feet, never relinquishing her hold, eyes shadowed by her bangs, "Are you satisfied yet? Have you caused enough pain for your brother's loss? Because now..." Glittering emerald eyes bored into the startled and frightened blue, "It's my turn."

Maka tugged on the other girl's polearm, dragging her closer even with the raven digging her feet in and trying to pull away. She pulled her left arm back and shot it forward, connecting with Donna's sternum. Blue eyes widened in pain and shock for a faction of a second before she was sent flying backwards with a wheezing gasp.

Maka looked at the spearbreaker in her hand, spinning it around and assessing it before turning it upside-down and burying it in the floor with all her strength. The raven haired girl was still on the mat when she walked over, Donna holding her chest and trying to breathe, coughing up blood every now and then. Maka stood before her with unfeeling green orbs, "Stand up. It's only cracked, you can still move."

"B-bitch..." She took a deep breath, then like she'd seen the others do, Dematerialized her Kikuchi Yari, recalled it, and swung at the blonde. Her eyes widened as it suddenly met with the haft of Maka's scythe, sliding along the slick metal and leaving her entire left side open. She shifted her gaze just in time to see the absolute  _unfeeling_  in the other girl's eyes, just before the blond kicked her across the floor.

The raven cried out in pain as -if Maka's aim and guess were right- three of her ribs fractured. And there Maka was again when she looked back up, "Get up." The spark the blonde had been waiting for appeared: the dark-haired girl's pain, hatred, and rage melded together, becoming indistinguishable from one another- the body's natural pain-blocker. She finally held her scythe in position, " _Now_ , try to take your revenge."

Donna snarled, turning her head to the side and spitting out blood, drawing her weapon so it lay in line with her shoulder. Then she struck. Maka tilted her head to the side, avoiding the thrust, ducking as the raven turned it into a swing, trying to decapitate her. When Donna twirled the back end under her arm and switched attack angles stunningly fast, Maka spun the heavy scythe across her back, blocking the reverse hit.

Under her opponent's weapon, Maka twirled her body around and swung out with her scythe, breaking the raven's stance and sending her stumbling backwards. Maka made a slash towards the other girl's midsection and Donna caught herself with her Kikuchi Yari, stepping back one extra pace just in time for her weapon to be ripped from her hands and sent flying across the room, caught by the blade of Maka's scythe.

Maka moved forward and ducked under Donna's flailing arms, putting them back-to-back, and swung her scythe around the axis of her torso, holding it behind her head in both hands- with Donna's throat caught firmly between the haft and Maka's shoulders.

Donna's hand reached up to wrap around the metal and pull helplessly, struggling for breath as Maka leaned forward for leverage and completely cut off the raven's airway. Maka stared at the blue mat as she felt the weakening struggle of the other girl. She'd left the dark-haired female no leverage: no weapon and no way to use the stab-slash Kikuchi Yari even if she'd had it. "Surrender."

Maka wasn't going to blood the other girl; that would be winning on a technicality. She wanted the other to  _admit_  she'd lost, that she was less; Donna was going to have a taste of her own intentions.

She felt the motion against her scythe of swallowing, but no attempt at speaking. She pulled harder and leaned forward a little further, bringing her opponent off their feet, "Right now your lungs are begging for air, your whole head aches from the pressure on your neck; blood unable to flow properly, your chest is starting to burn. I bet you can't even feel your legs anymore, maybe a blood vessel or two in your eyes has ruptured, and I'm guessing the room is looking black and fuzzy at the edges." her voice was hard but emotionless, and Donna's soul was trembling in fear.

"K-"

Maka bent further, digging her weapon into Donna's neck. A high-pitched whine she only felt through the vibration of it sounded, pure panic replacing simple fear, and she finally eased off. Swinging her weapon around and spinning in place, Maka saw her enemy fall to the ground and collapse, legs not having enough strength to hold her, and rolled her over with her foot as the raven lay there panting for air. Maka held her foot across the other girl's chest, threatening to step with her full strength directly over the other's cracked sternum and broken ribs, "I won't tell you again: surrender."

Donna stared up into the unflinching, uncaring,  _merciless_  green orbs; panic running through her veins. This girl was  _insane_ , and she wasn't playing, she wasn't even training, she was  _fighting_ ; and she was  _winning_. Those eyes, Maka wasn't just willing to put her down to win, the blonde was honestly going to  _kill_ her- she knew it with absolute certainty, and she was going to make sure she  _wished_  she was dead before she did so.

The threatening foot applied pressure that had her arching and a pained scream ripping from her lips, "Aarggghh!"

Cutting green eyes narrowed, "Say it!"

Tears pricking the corners of her eyes, Donna sucked in an agonizing breath and capitulated, "I surrender! Please!"

And just like that, the pressure let up and she collapsed back bonelessly. The verdant orbs pinned her in place like an insect, looking  _through_  her in a way that made her shudder and feel small and helpless before some greater creature as the blonde crouched down next to her and spoke softly, "We're not so different, you and I. The difference is that you're a failure who refuses to accept that fact, and you will always hold yourself back because of it. I'm a failure, too, you see; the difference is that I don't care anymore. I have nothing to prove to anybody but myself, and you're still trying to show others." That pinning gaze finally left as Maka turned away, voice raising enough for others to hear, "Pathetic: you never stood a chance against me, you never will; if you come after Crona or I again, there will be no mercy, surrender won't be an  _option_."

Maka sighed and shook her head at the other girl's foolishness, and how that might have been  _her_ _,_ once upon a time. She turned to walk away, her instincts screaming at her about danger.

'CLANG!'

There was instant commotion in the gym as everyone reacted. Donna stared blankly up at the white-topped form in front of her. Her enraged assault -the thrust of her spearbreaker she'd aimed at the small of Maka's turned back for her insults- had been redirected to the right by-

"S-Soul?" Maka asked, clear surprise written across her features as her scythe met another, met  _his_ , the silver wing-like blade resting against the jagged red-and-black of his. That clash had gone clean through her entire being, her soul still open, and her spirit rang like a bell against Soul's.

The red-eyed boy glared at the injured girl kneeling on the mat, "You  _don't_  want to do that."

Donna's gaze shifted to the left, where the silver-bladed scythe stood still in the air, less than an inch from burying itself in her throat. It was the final straw and her body finally gave out on her.

Maka stared blankly at the limp body of her enemy, stuck between several key emotions and unsure what to do. She was shocked that Soul had managed to react fast enough to stop her, confused about the strange feeling in her chest from the clash of their weapons, and a cut-off fury about Donna attacking her from behind when she'd left the other conscious only as an act of mercy. No, maybe they weren't so alike after all.

Soul tugged her arm, "Come on, Tiny Tits, she's not worth it."

That name snapped her out of her stupor and Maka Dematerialized with Soul, turning away as Witches rushed in to deal with Donna. She quickly backed away, having a strong aversion to magic, the mere murmur of the incantations making her shiver, and less than three steps off the mat found herself wrapped up in Crona and Liz patting her heartily on the back, "Maka!"

"Good job out there! You just made me a very wealthy girl, Apple-Eater."

She blinked at them, then caught motion of the corner of her eye, "That was a wonderful showing, Maka."

"When did you get here, Lady Medusa?"

"I was a little late, I'm afraid, but I had something to discuss with Lord Death. Come on, I'll see to your injuries."

Maka's face heated, "Oh, that's okay. I-I'll be fine..." The golden blonde opened her mouth when Maka saw Ragnarok stand up on the opposite side of the gymnasium, waving off the witch that was healing him, "Excuse me for a minute."

Maka left Crona with Lady Medusa and the others and followed after Ragnarok. She didn't try to be stealthy about it once they'd left the gym but she wasn't certain if he knew she'd been following him or only spoke when he finally took notice of her, "Something you need, Maka?"

"Why?"

He tilted his head without looking back at her, "Because it's weird to randomly follow people around without a reason?"

It was merely a play, and Maka didn't let him get away with it, "Why did you stand up for Crona, for us? Why did you save him, why help with his work?"

"Because it was the right thing to do?"

Maka snorted, "There is no right, only reward. Why?"

"Isn't not being able to tolerate assholes enough?"

"No."

Ragnarok finally looked back at her, annoyance across his features, "Why do you have to ask? Can't you ever let anything go?"

Maka stepped closer, fearlessly staring him down, " _Why?_ "

In a flash, the tall male grabbed her and pinned her against the wall, glaring down at her with a snarl, "Why do you care? Why do you have to know, Brains?"

"Ignorance is weakness. I will not be weak. Why?"

He smirked down at her tauntingly, "Fine then: pay your cost. You want answers, you give them." when Maka didn't so much as twitch, complying with a nod, Ragnarok's expression shifted form aggravated to curious, "I don't even intimidate you, do I?"

The ash-blonde's mouth twitched -into the beginning of a frown or smile was uncertain- before flattening again, "Should you? What reason do I have to fear you? Your strength? Your ruthlessness?" Ragnarok frowned, realizing what she was getting at: that Maka had shown just as much strength and ruthlessness in her own fight. She cocked her head, "Or is it... Your scar I should be so afraid of? Tell me: are others often intimidated by something you had no control over? Shying away from you for something someone else did to you? Do you think I should do the same, then?" Maka held her hand up, never breaking eye-contact, and bit the fingertip of her white glove, pulling it off and holding her hand up in front of his face.

Ragnarok's silver eyes flicked to the appendage, widening at the sight, "You-"

"Are you intimidated by me, Ragnarok? Do I scare you now?" the taller teen's caging arms fell away as he stepped back in shock, and Maka wriggled her glove back on, following him and stepping into his space, staring up at him with calmly fierce determination, "Why?"

Coming out of his stupor, Ragnarok put his hands back out against the wall, less to trap Maka within them than to keep himself steady, grounded. To hide their shaking, "They -the other students- they spout it off, give it lip service, but they never really understand. They call them by different names, trying to separate them from themselves, put distance between them because it makes them uncomfortable to think about. But it doesn't change anything.

" 'Kishin' is just a word, something they use so they can pretend they have nothing to do with them. But Kishin are people. People of the worst sort, people who do terrible things, who chose to do terrible things. Calling them something else just so you can pretend they aren't like you... It irritates me, sickens me. Kishin are monsters, yeah, but so are people. Look close, Maka. This scar that intimidates so many, I didn't get this from a Kishin, I got it from a person. Calling them Kishin is just humankind's excuse, a way for people not to take responsibility for what they've done. By saying that the Kishin are monsters, horrible things that attack in the night, they erase their own responsibility to those people and their victims; and that pisses me off.

"But then, I imagine you feel similar, isn't that right? Look at me, look at you and Crona. Look at the Kishin compared to the people that pass by on the streets, the ones that use children, that walk away when a mother cuts her child, that turn up the volume to cover the screams coming from the apartment next door; and tell me: who are the real monsters?" Ragnarok pulled away, "I'm not saying it's right, but at least the Kishin are evil that doesn't try to hide itself, it's not an evil that pretends to be good. That's the real difference between people and Kishin: not the names, not the forms; the Kishin are just a little more honest. That's why I helped, that's why I'm here. I won't be one of the ones that sticks their head in the sand and pretend the world's fine and glorious. The world's a dark, fucked-up, shitty little hellhole that's covered in a facade of flowers: I'm here to make just a little less dark and fucked-up and shitty.

"And anyone who stands in the way of that, who tries to cover the horror under glory, who hides their darkness with a veneer of justice, is going to fall under my blade. I make no apologies: I do nothing that warrants them."

Maka watched him walk away, turning around and going back to the others, ignoring Patty and Liz's congratulations, ignoring Soul's speculative glances, and leaned against Crona. Lady Medusa smiled at her, "How about a celebratory dinner? Anything you two want. We can cook it together." seeing the look Sid was giving her, she glared back at him before turning to them and smiling again, "Or at the very least we can try."

Maka's interest was caught, "Apple pie?"

Crona looked up, "Vegetable stew?"

"We can certainly attempt it."

When the others finally gave them a little more breathing room, Maka turned to Crona, taking a fortifying breath, "...You can... hang out with Ragnarok."

Crona's stared at her disbelievingly for a moment, then his whole face slowly lit up, "R-really?"

She nodded, "Really." And Crona's beaming smile was worth the small grain of discomfort and unease she felt.

181818


	19. Chapter 19

191919

_Maka stood on the top of the dune, dull green eyes searching out across the dusky gray landscape. The deep twilight sky echoed with dry thunder and white lightning, no wind to blow the dark clouds away. Just dusty ash falling from the sky like snow, adding to the endless dunes._

_No, not endless. Because in the distance, that line across the horizon wasn't more ash..._

_Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew this dim, desiccated place was inside her. A non-dream, a not-nightmare. It was just... the lack of everything she wasn't._

_"...Maka?"_

_The blonde spun around, staring in absolute shock, "_ _**Soul?!** _ _" This had never happened before; when she was here, it was always alone. She was always on her own._

_"Where are we?"_

_"I... don't know. But I've been here before."_

_"Do you know how to get out of this place?"_

_"There is no 'out'. You just... wait." There was no leaving. No running away. Maka knew, had run until her feet bled and her legs gave out; she'd never gotten any farther away, never been able to run far enough to escape. And now she'd somehow trapped Soul here, too..._

_Maka's left arm crept up to grasp her right, fingers digging deeply into the flesh. What had she done? Dragged yet another person into her personal hell with her. Just like Crona._ Useless, pathetic...

_Soul shrugged, "At least we're here together." Maka's head snapped up so fast it hurt, staring in amazement at the boy who was..._ _**grinning** _ _at her with his sharp teeth, "I can think of worse people to be trapped in some stormy desert with."_

_Maka felt her face heat and turned away, looking out across the barren land. She shivered as a tailwind hit her, shock ricocheting through her system. She'd never felt wind here before. It was cold. She looked over in surprise as she felt warmth wrap around her, "Soul?"_

_The red-eyed teen shrugged again and looked away, cheeks dark, "My jacket's warm, and I don't really need it anyway."_

_The blonde looked down at it in wonder, then pulled it closer with a small smile, "...Thank you..."_

_Soul grinned at her and she shivered again, "No problem. So... you wanna show me around?"_

_"...There's nothing to show. It's all ash. There's no life, just endless death raining down."_

_He stared at the ground contemplatively, "Ash, huh?" He grabbed her hand, "C'mon."_

_"Wah! S-Soul! What are you- where are we going?!"_

_"I want to see something."_

_"What- there's nothing to see. Are you listening at all?"_

_"Nope." he popped the 'p' at the end, then smirked back at her, still leading her down the dune._

_The distances in this place were never solid, never still; and it seemed forever to get to the bottom of the relatively small hill, and then there was a small area of flat before the shore of a vast black lake. Maka held still at the bottom, looking over the lapping liquid and shuddering._

_She turned away from the unsettling lake to find her partner looking around the gray sand, "What are you doing, Soul? There's nothing here."_

_"But there is. Come here, Maka." More curious than wary, she walked over to him and knelt next to the white-haired boy. Soul took her hand, curled his around it, and shoved them both into the ground, sliding them away, "This is something I learned from my brother. Ash means fire, but fire isn't all death and destruction..."_

_Maka's breath caught in her throat as a tiny sprout was revealed, two tiny, shining silver leaves waving in the breeze that came off the lake. Wind that suddenly seemed warmer. "It's..."_

_"See? Fire destroys, but it also makes room for everything to renew itself."_

_Maka looked up at the tanned boy, smiling softly, their hands still touching, "Thank you, Soul."_

_He grinned back, "Anytime."_

* * *

 

Maka woke with a smile for the first time in... well, ever, that she could really remember. That smile turned into a frown as she realized she woke up  _alone_  as well. She got up, peaking into Crona's room as well and seeing him asleep without her, a soft look on his face instead of the usual one she associated with their chronic nightmares.  _Calm down, Maka; you promised._

With a sigh, the ash-blonde retreated to get ready for the day. When she was finished with showering and drying off and dressed, she checked Crona's room again to find it empty and set out to find her brother. He wasn't in either of their rooms, or the living room, or the dining room... But that last one wasn't empty, either.

"Lady Medusa?"

The golden-eyed woman looked up from her reading, "Good morning, Maka. What do you need?"

"Have you seen Crona?"

"Yes. Ragnarok was here just a few minutes ago and invited him to breakfast."

"Oh..."

"Is there something wrong?"

 _You promised..._  "No. I just... wasn't expecting it."

Medusa put her paper aside, "Maka, would you have breakfast with me?"

"Er, sure." she sat down at the table, the first time both woman had been at it since school started.

The silence was tense and uncomfortable as they ate, until Medusa finally spoke, "Have you and Crona been making friends and settling in well?"

Maka decided her plate was utterly fascinating, pushing around her unfinished meal with her fork, "Crona and Ragnarok are friends."

"And what about you?"

She went over the group in her head, trying to figure out what exactly might be considered 'friendship'. The ones she trusted? But how much trust exactly was 'friendship' and what was mere acquaintanceship? What was merely cohabiting the same space daily? She was pretty sure Tsubaki was trying to be her friend; sharing class notes and answering questions, offering what she probably thought was good advice and worrying. Maka didn't really appreciate it, because she could take care of herself and Crona (okay, with the exception of that day they'd been delayed and needed those notes).

She had a somewhat close relationship with Liz that had sprung back to life; the understanding that if anything happened to one of them, the other would take care of the lost one's sibling. That they would stand together to help protect the one they both held most precious. They had a lot in common, and she liked Liz; she was mostly no-nonsense and serious, she understood that some things were important (and what those things were), and didn't seem to get caught up in the weird teenage drama Maka had already decided she hated.

...And what about Soul? He surprised her, made her feel strange; warm, safe, wild and grounded. He invaded her dreams, protected her; not only from things which he thought might hurt her, but from her own mistakes which might end up hurting her. No one had ever done that for her before. And Soul didn't ask for anything in return, it was like he understood her.

"Maka?"

She looked back up at Medusa and realized she hadn't said anything, "Sorry."

The nurse shook her head, "No, don't worry about it. I know school can be tough, especially when you've never experienced it before. Just take your time and try to have some fun. And Maka?"

"Yes?"

"You don't have to have a lot, but make one friend. Everybody needs one good, true friend that they know will never turn their back on them. That one person will be worth whatever it takes to befriend them, they'll be worth whatever trials the friendship puts you through, even if it doesn't last in the end. Take my word on that, okay?"

 _Only one?_  She'd have to choose between Tsubaki and Soul and Liz? Which one, then? Liz had been at her back before; warned her about Donna, helped her get her bearings in the school's rules and social structure, stood up for her decisions. Soul tried to  _save_  her from Donna;  _had_  saved her from potentially making a mistake that she never could have taken back. And Tsubaki might not have been succeeding, but she was trying very hard to be Maka's friend, and (maybe, mind) the only thing she wanted back was an end to her loneliness...

What about Ragnarok? He had (sort of not really) taken Crona, but he understood her, too. Could he be a friend for both of them? But if he was already Crona's one friend, he obviously couldn't be hers, too.

Maka looked down at her plate again, shuffling a small remaining piece of ham through egg yolk when Medusa put her napkin on the table, "And if you can find more than one person like that, they will drive you to insanity, and when you look back you'll realize that that, too, is completely worth it in the end. Friends won't hold you back, and they won't make you lose yourself: rather they'll help lift you higher and farther than you could get on your own, and show you sides of yourself you didn't know you even had. They are hard work and trouble and sometimes heartbreaking... and  _always_  worth it all."

Maka couldn't stop a small smile, looking up at the older blonde before wiping her mouth and placing her napkin on the table, too, "Thank you, Lady Medusa."

The nurse rested her chin on the back of one hand, "No problem. Anytime you feel like you need to talk, or need advice, I'm always here for you, Maka."

"...Why?"

Medusa's gaze turned piercing as she tilted her head, "Because that's what  _my_  best friend would have done, and you remind me of her very much." then she stood up and pushed her chair in, gathering up the dishes, "Now off you go: class is about to start."

Maka stood, thinking about everything Medusa had done for her and Crona so far, and wondered if maybe their learning hadn't been the  _price_  of those actions -like saving them- but just a natural part of this whole school thing. She still didn't understand this friendship thing, but she was learning. Face heating, - _Now, when her hands are full_ \- Maka gave the older woman a quick one-armed hug like she was Crona and spoke in a rush, "ThankyouLadyMedusa. Haveagooddaybye!" before grabbing her bag and rushing out the door before any potential punishment could be given.

Medusa stood there with the dishes in her hands, her face the picture of surprise, before turning into a smile and shaking her head.  _Yes, I can be your friend, too, Maka._  She sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "Ah, Kami. She's so much like we were as children." then she chuckled as she headed for the kitchen, "Which means she's going to need all the help and friends she can get if she manages to get into even half of the trouble we did."

* * *

 

Maka sighed when she walked into the lunch room as noon rolled around. She was both more and less sure than she had been. Or maybe that was wrong: she was steady, just very nervous. Crona fidgeted beside her, "Um... R-Ragnarok invited me to sit at his table with him..."

Maka looked over to see the older teen waiting for her brother. She didn't want to let Crona out of her sight for that long, with all the others around them- who knew what could happen? She took a deep breath, "S-sure. Have fun."

Crona looked at her like she'd grown another head, and Maka felt somewhat more at ease for it. Crona still needed her, still counted on her to know what to do. So she smiled at him, "It's okay. If you get nervous just excuse yourself and come back to our table. You can handle this."  _We both can._

Crona smiled back shyly, nodding his head with more determination, "Alright. Thank you, sister!"

That said, she still glared over top of Crona's shoulder at Ragnarok.  _'If anything happens to him...'_  The scarred boy held her gaze before nodding back minutely. Then he threw his arm around the pink-haired male, "C'mon, Short Stuff."

When Maka made it to her usual table, she surprised the others by sitting right by Liz and trying her best to smile at the older girl. Liz's was more genuine, and Maka started in surprise when an apple-pocket was set on her tray, "Here, saved you the last one they had."

"Thanks, Liz..."

There wasn't much chance for talk before the sound system drew everyone's attention and they looked over to the (usually vacant) stage near the front of the cafeteria, spotting Lady Medusa and the other teachers, "First Level afternoon classes are cancelled. All students are to pack for a school camping trip. Everyone be ready tonight and set your clocks early: because the buses leave at four a.m. tomorrow morning. Invited students from Second Level are exempt as well."

There was much moaning and groaning, a little cheering, and Crona appeared with Ragnarok next to their table, "One of Lord Death's infamous surprise bonding assignments. I skipped out on the last one."

Sid walked by, clapping his hand on the tall teen's shoulder and grinning at him, "Which is why you've been specially invited along for this one."

Ragnarok's face was priceless, "Tell me you're kidding."

"It's discouraged for teachers to lie to students." he clapped his hands, "And we'll be working with a two-person buddy system, so everyone find a partner before we leave!"

"Hey, Maka, want to be my partner?"

She looked over at Soul, hesitating and switching between him and her brother. Ragnarok caught the motion, "So, Crona, think you can stick with me a while longer? I doubt many of the others would be willing to put up with me."

Maka nodded, "Um, sure, Soul."

Crona taking that as tacit permission nodded, "Okay..."

The whole large room was abuzz with the chatter of students and staff alike: shouting of the teachers getting over-excited students to calm down -and in some cases get off the tables ( _Blackstar_ )- and everyone talking about the trip -what to pack, what to leave, where they were going, what paths they'd take to get there- trying to find a partner -"WHO WANTS TO BE THE PARTNER OF THE GREAT BLACKSTAR?!"- and some who were still trying to finish their lunches. Maka shook her head at all the controlled chaos. At the very least, this school-thing would never get boring.

191919


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of important things to say this time around. First of all, being chapter 20, I wanted to do something special. First, I want to thank all my beloved People Bunnies who've helped me out with ideas and support and wonderful suggestions. Extra special thanks goes out to Zo, Cat-chan, Queeny, and Lily-chan; for all being so amazingly wonderful to follow and suggest things for BOTH of my Soul Eater fics. Love you girls!
> 
> Thanks to: JJisandOtakuGamerTomboy, mayeevee, and anyone else who's given me lovely ideas. I couldn't do this without you~
> 
> Next: minor new thing introduced this chapter; present-tense usage. Let me know if I pulled that off successfully or not, please.
> 
> And please let me know of any fun camp ideas you have! I've already got fishing and canoeing planned~
> 
> The next thing up: I'm posting this chapter mere minutes before midnight this evening. The reason for the delay is that I had about half (more like a third now...) of a chapter written of DeathStar this morning (And I always post these two fics at the same time. I have since the start, I will until the end), when my computer decided to have a stroke around noon and erased it all. I had a good pity-cry, took a nap, then woke up at four with all the determination of BlackStar to get back in here and get a chapter ready for you all. I dug in deep, PULLED, and kicked both Life and Writer's Block's asses!
> 
> So thank you all for the understanding and loving support for all these weeks, and I hope you'll continue as we go onward. Thank you everyone; I love you all!

 

202020

Medusa looked up when the quiet buzzing on her nightstand started, putting her book -the diary- aside and tapping the alarm off. She'd hardly needed the sleep to begin with, so it had only made sense to volunteer as one of the chaperones. The silence of her room, left with her thoughts in the dark of night, was almost enough to make her reach out and set the clock to ringing again before she caught herself.

She closed her eyes in the darkness for a minute, breathing deep, then opened them and prepared to start the day. The golden-blonde reached over and picked up the diary, tucking it into her outfit and fluffing out her hair where it had crept down the back of her top.

The rest of the suite was just as quiet as her room had been, and the silence in the halls outside her rooms practically echoed around her. For just a moment, it was comforting in the way a blackened room was in those moments after a nightmare: holding its own brand of dangers, but not the ones you'd been running away from.

"Good morning."

Medusa came out of her musing and managed to smile back at one of her partners and friends, "Well, it's only two a.m. so not morning, and good..."

Even under the bandages, Medusa could tell Nygus grinned back, "Didn't sleep well?"

"Didn't sleep at all. But I'll be fine. I left after volunteering; did you get short straw?"

"In a way... Turns out Lord Death thought it would be a show of solidarity about team work -you know, the whole point of the trip- if he followed through with it from the students all the way up to the faculty."

"Oh... So when I put myself forward..."

"We were all dragged up there with you; as it should be."

The Witch folded her arms and leaned back against the wall, "Do Sid and Mifune feel that way?"

"We're a team. Period." Sid yawned as he stepped into the hallway, "One of us gets to stay here to look after all the towers on their own, the rest of us are going camping."

Just then the last of their team made his appearance in her hall, Mifune leading a group of his Second Level boys before sending them off to start getting things ready with a wave of a hand, "I'll stay here and keep things in check."

Medusa saw the mischief gleaming in Nygus' eyes and caught on instantly, reaching out and patting the silver-haired man's shoulder as she went past, "How kind of you, Mifune. And here I thought you'd be nervous being the only one in the whole school allowed to tend to the Little One. I'm glad to see you and the dragon have gotten over your differences; Maka and Crona will be so relieved."

"Wait, wha-"

The look on the swordmaster's face -shocked, open-mouthed with his toothpick falling from his slack lips- was priceless and something she wouldn't have traded for the world; or even a full night's rest. Sid clapped him on the back as well, "Good man, keep the pipsqueaks in line and don't let that overgrown gecko get the drop on you, eh?"

Nygus giggled along with her brother's hearty chuckles, spinning so she was walking backwards and waved at the gawking male, "Have fun, 'Fune-kun~!"

* * *

 

Mind brought to instant -if sleepy- awareness of the present, Maka wakes at the first buzz of her alarm clock- at three in the morning. Except for the single (large) yawn, she gives in and gets out of bed, Crona, too nervous with the upcoming travel and yet another change in their routine, popping up beside her the moment her feet touch the floor.

"Sister?"

"Up now. Washing, packing, checking, double checking... Up." she mutters back, tone low but loud enough for Crona to hear. Though somewhat new -if only in the destination and small details- this is a routine that Crona's familiar enough with to do without needing nudged or guided. With a splitting yawn of his own, the pink haired teen hops from Maka's bed and heads towards his own bathroom to get ready.

It doesn't take long for Maka to wash off, strictly speaking, but long hot showers were one of the luxuries she'd discovered since they'd arrived at the DWMA and she'd planned enough time to indulge in one even this early in the morning. The ash-blonde finally emerges from her bathroom no less than thirty minutes later, not the least worried or repentant for taking half their time on a single task.

Crona is, naturally, dressed and waiting for her, leaned against the headboard and dozing. The early hour didn't really effect either of them, when it came right down to results. So many times in their lives sleep had been a privilege so easily denied. It had eventually just become natural to function on as little rest as possible, and they'd subsequently developed the ability to fall asleep almost anywhere at the drop of a hat. Every moment was precious, yes, but not a right, and they had no reason (what good would it do them anyway?) to complain over its loss. It wasn't worth fighting over, and most especially since it'd be a losing fight from the first: pointless, and Maka and Crona made it a habit not to indulge in pointless endeavors.

Slightly more energized after her shower, Maka picks up the list the teachers had given all the (camping, obviously) students on what to pack. There were several items they'd never even owned, but Lady Medusa had assured them that those would be provided when Maka had asked about it. It doesn't take long to pack changes of clothes and personal care things; less than ten minutes. Going back over the list twice more to ensure neither of them had forgotten anything (which they both had on the first go-over), until everything meets even her exacting standards, Maka zips the large gym bag (black with pink stitching) and sits back on her heels with a sigh.

No time for rest, she then changes into her 'hiking' clothes, or the clothes Lady Medusa told her would work as such since she had no idea what that particular requirement would entail as far as dressing. In the end, Maka is standing -frowning- in front of her mirror, wearing black pants ( _leggings_  her half-asleep mind corrects), a dark denim skirt, (too cheerful for the hour) yellow sleeveless top over a long-sleeved white shirt, and warm leather jacket over everything, and -of course- her gloves. And hiking boots that she'd instantly fallen in love with which are, she is almost certain, sturdy enough to kill someone with. They're her new favorite shoes and she is seriously considering abandoning sneakers all together.

Crona is nervously shifting in his own outfit: black jeans, a white shirt not unlike her own- underneath a pink sweatshirt, and his own black jacket. She tilts her head; actually, she can't remember who the shirts were originally gotten for. She and Crona have almost the same physique on top, and their clothes, like themselves, often wind up in each other's rooms. The shirts fit almost the same on both of them (a little long, but even in the shoulders and chest) so it's basically impossible to tell who they were originally meant for, if they were meant for anyone specifically.  _Had_  Lady Medusa gotten them each white button-ups?

 _Ack. Early morning wandering mind._  Maka shakes her head to clear it of the thoughts and stands up, one last time making sure they have their everything: bag of necessities, DWMA talismans (the white skull pin on their collars), showers, clothes, new metal bracelets with their partners' names on the front and family relations on the back (theirs uniquely having each others' and Lady Medusa's names), and- ah. Her stomach gives one protesting gurgle to remind her of the other reason she'd set the alarm so early: time left to raid some food before they were called on. Because who knew when or if they'd be fed on the -also- who knew how long ride?

But this, too, Maka had prepared for, having grabbed extra, non-perishables from dinner the night before, and they both sit on the (still ruffled) bed and go through them. Maka has no intentions of putting any in their things, on the chance the bags get searched and they aren't supposed to have any, so they finish everything before tossing the wrappers into the bathroom garbage and dusting themselves of any incriminating crumbs. Then the bed is made, and everything that is even slightly out of place is fixed, and with seven minutes still to spare, the suite of rooms looks almost as if they'd never been inhabited.

With a reassuring look for her brother, they leave the suite entirely, stepping out into the hall, and nearly right into a surprised Medusa, "I was just coming to wake you two up." then she smiles softly, in a way Maka almost could have said was proud, "I see there's no need. Have everything?" she waits until they nod, "Then just head on down to the bus; Nygus is loading. Just follow everyone else. I have to get the others up."

As the golden blonde walks away, they find themselves in the middle of a crowd of sleepy students, some actually asleep and being carried by staff or Second Level peers down the hall- opposite the way Medusa had gone.

One of the sleepier, grouchier students stomps past and glares at them, seeing them wide awake, if not quite bright-eyed, "That's just not normal." And for just a moment, in the darkness of the low lighting, the hush and rush of pressing bodies; Maka isn't a strong teenager in the school- for just a moment, she's a small girl of seven with her brother clinging to her arm as they're shoved into a dark room that smells of blood and sweat and death.

Then she blinks and the student -and the moment- is gone, and she's once again standing in the hallway outside their rooms, which smells of clean warm things and floor-wax. Shaking her head of the past, Maka and Crona make their way outside, at once grateful for their jackets as the chill desert air whips around everyone in the pre-dawn light. And having gotten up early has its advantages, because they're the first ones (awake) to the bus that's already being loaded with bags on top and (they think) Nygus grins at them through her bandages, "Morning, you two. First on, just sit anywhere you want. And don't worry about staying awake, it's a looooong ride, so feel free to sleep until we get there."

"Um, do you want our bag?" Crona asks, seeing several others on top of the bus tying down other bags, and then the panicking begins, "I think we forgot to put a name tag on ours!"

"No worries. There's enough room on this thing for an entire hall to sit comfortably. And while two halls is pushing it, I did say 'comfortably'. Long as you don't mind the squishiness, you should all fit with some of you holding your bags."

They quietly thank the teacher, one they actually know -have known for as long as Lady Medusa, which makes it possible- and head inside, seeing other unmarked bags in netting above seats holding sleeping students (Blackstar passed out with his mouth wide open with drool hanging out the side, snoring like a chainsaw; his partner Tsubaki asleep against his shoulder). Without delay, Maka and Crona go to the very back of the bus, last row, in the backmost seat that spans the aisle. Maka sits first and scoots over to the far right, against the wall, with their bag between her and the metal, with Crona squishing tight to her left side and leaning against her. They couldn't see much from the side, the last seat sharing only half a window with the one in front, but given the offer to sleep, the traveling view (miles and miles and  _miles_  of hot, dry desert; how exciting! ...Not) wasn't of much concern.

Quietly (relatively) but surely, the bus fills up with sleeping students being dragged in by Second Levels, teachers, and other staff, and unmarked bags stuffed above sleeping heads in the front. Less than five minutes after Maka and Crona get settled, their partners make an appearance. Soul, yawning hugely, shuffles up the steps and then down the aisle, and somehow without ever opening his eyes, plops down on the opposite side of her brother, "Mornin', Maka."

She's still not quite sure how she's supposed to act around the white haired boy, but going for 'not hostile, not rude' seems the best option, "Um... Morning. Soul."

Crona twitches, and Maka can tell he wants to ask her to switch places, because he doesn't know how to deal with the sharp-toothed boy either, but then Ragnarok appears- carrying another student, "Hiya, Short Stuff. Hey, save a seat for me back here, alright? Bad enough I'm forced to come along, I don't want to spend the whole trip hearing the teachers lecture in the front."

Soul gives a lackluster thumbs-up and puts his own unmarked bag (Maka notices it's also black, but with orange stitches) on his left, "Cool."

Crona is noticeably calmer being (even one removed) wedged between two people he knows how to deal with, and nods enthusiastically. With a quiet sigh, he rests his head against Maka's shoulder and watches as the people get on.

And it's nearly twenty minutes later (a grand total of thirty minutes past the time the bus was supposed to leave, or maybe Maka got it wrong and that was only the time it was supposed to load?), when the last person is on board and the teachers are making a final headcount, Ragnarok moves a nodding-off Soul's bag to the floor between the white haired boy's feet and takes his spot; the whole back seat taken up by them and their bags. Maka realizes that no one checked their bag at the same time she notices Crona's fallen asleep on her shoulder. And then the teachers up front finally sit down, having apparently ensured all who are supposed to be are present, and the bus rumbles to life before pulling out.

Looking at the others in her row, Crona using her as a pillow, Soul's head leaned back against the back of the seat and apparently asleep, and even Ragnarok having crossed his arms, tilting until his back was wedged against the metal siding of the bus; Maka decides the interesting and important parts of the morning are safely over, and leans her head against her and Crona's bag, determined to get as much rest as she could herself.

* * *

 

She came awake instantly when she felt the bus slowing down. Maka's eyes snapped open and she took in her surroundings. Most of the other students were still sleeping. She herself felt better, more grounded, more herself, now that she'd gotten enough rest. The sliver of a window shared with the seat ahead showed towering green pines reaching for the sky, a bumpy, untamed road leading through the evergreen forest around them. The temperature was noticeably cooler than back at school, with a lovely, leafy, just-  _green_  scent to it, the smell of moisture a pleasant change from the dry, arid, baked-earth scent of the desert where they lived.

Without permission, something deep within her unwound. The Nevada desert was a gamble at the best of times; but coniferous forest wilderness?  _This_  was a place Maka knew how to deal with. This place she could survive all on her own. The city and the flourishing green wilds- she knew both like the backs of her hands, but the wilderness had the safer predators she preferred.

With a final yawn, Maka sat up and stretched minutely, noticing immediately that Crona was no longer against her, meeting Soul's grinning crimson eyes, "Mornin'."

"Wh-"

Without a word he leaned back, showing her pink-haired brother  _snuggled_  up with Ragnarok, both of them fast asleep; Crona cradled in the other's arms with his head pillowed on the taller teen's chest. It was, undeniably, the cutest thing she'd ever seen; and she couldn't help trading smiles with her seatmate.

Soul shook his head, "He was with you, then I got up to use the restroom and came back to find this. Been like that for over an hour now."

The small kernel of hurt deep inside of her was easily ignored in favor of how utterly adorable and happy Crona looked. If ever there were a moment she wanted to capture and keep in a bottle... "Would you trade places with me?" Because she had the feeling that if her brother woke up without her next to him...

Soul shrugged, "Sure."

Maka stood up -none of the teachers in the front of the bus even noticing her- and crab-shuffled over, dragging her bag, as Soul slid the opposite way on the seat. That was, until the bus hit a particularly large bump and Maka suddenly found herself in Soul's lap and arms, blinking in confusion, "Um..."

Soul let out a sigh, "Gotcha. You good now?"

"Uh, yeah..." She pushed up on the seat and scurried from his hold, cheeks pink, "Er, sorry."

"Nah, it's cool. Not your fault. Huh, always suspected there was a reason the drivers always said we shouldn't stand up when the bus is moving..."

Maka had a fantastic sense of balance, she likely could have caught herself if Soul hadn't grabbed her, but it didn't seem like the best thing to point out. One thing she had learned over her weeks of observation was that people tended to take rejection of their help as a personal offence. But friendship started with honesty, didn't it?

"...I could have caught myself. I can take care of myself all by myself; I've been doing it my whole life."

Soul gave her a look from the corner of his eye, "Just because you  _can_  do something alone doesn't mean you  _have_  to."

Maka didn't really know what to say in response to that, but she didn't have to, because just then the bus slowed down again, making a final turn and pulling into a large bare-earth clearing. Lady Medusa stood up at the front of their transport and clapped her hands, "Up. Come on, everybody awake. Those not up and out of the bus in ten minutes with be retrieved by my snakes, and I don't think anyone will like that."

"Hey, teach, what time is it, anyway?"

"About eight-thirty-ish. So everyone get up and get ready."

Many of the students around them were either yawning or still completely passed out. Maka looked over to find Ragnarok staring at her solemnly, then he shook Crona a little, "Come on, Short Stuff, time to go."

Crona's ebony eyes opened sleepily, blinking several times in confusion seeing his sister in front of him but feeling warmth around him. Then they widened and he pushed away, looking at his living pillow incredulously, "Ragnarok?! I'm sorry!"

"If it'd have bothered me, you'd have been on the floor. C'mon, let's go before we get put on whatever horrible chore they're plotting for the lazy ones."

Soul got up first, slinging his bag over his shoulder so the strap rested across his chest, "Yeah, that'd suck more than the early wake-up." they made their way up the aisle, a glance behind showing students already disembarking from the second bus as well. Maka traded a small smile with Lady Medusa as they passed, Soul getting right to the top of the steps before a foot stuck out and he pitched forward, "Argh!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Maka grabbed the body of the bag her partner had over his shoulder, leaning back to counterbalance. Crona instantly wrapped his arms around her waist to help, both of them pulling back. Soul was held in limbo for several seconds, not falling further, but not able to get his footing back; until Ragnarok added himself to the equation, reaching around both siblings to get ahold of the white-haired boy's jacket and hauling back with all his strength.

All four of them let out a relieved breath, Soul the most so, "Thanks."

Maka stared back at him for a moment before sticking her tongue out -almost too briefly to be seen- before smiling shyly, "No need to do it alone, right?"

Soul smirked back and nodded, then thought about their close calls, "It's going to be one of those days, isn't it?"

"I look forward to the challenge."

202020


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kays! Part One (two? *mutters to self* Do I count the bus ride or not?) of day one!
> 
> Thank you everybody for the ideas, and keep them coming! I'll do my best to find places to fit them in~ (I originally planned for this whole trip to be two chapters: one for each day, but once I get them talking, the charas just don't shut up- bless their little hearts.)
> 
> Planned activities: Canoeing, marshmallow-roasting (ChaosreigN), magical marco-polo in the dark (thank you, Win!), and fishing (MonkeyQueen88 YT).
> 
> Possible activities, hiking (I'm confused about how much fun this would be or what to do with it, because the times my dad dragged me out for it I ended up constantly tripping and almost killing myself, and there-for rather missed the fun aspect...).
> 
> Jay-chan, hope you like the chapter, and does it live up to your suggestion?
> 
> Thank you, everybody; I love you all. Please enjoy!

 

212121

Soul sighed and stepped off the bus, Maka and her brother just behind him with Ragnarok bringing up the rear. For all the fuss the teachers had made of getting off the bus, they were left standing around with nothing much to do until the requisite ten minutes were up. At which point rampant screaming started coming from both buses and the tardy students began pouring from the two vehicles.

The screaming crowd overtook the rest of them and they were all tossed about in the shuffle of bodies. Maka was shoved into him and he once again steadied her; seeing the tension in her wary posture and grabbing her hand before she gave in to the urge to Manifest. The last thing they needed first thing in the morning -or the whole trip, really- was another fight. Besides vibrating in tense silence like a muted harp string, the ash-blonde put up with his touch and Soul counted that as a win. The lack of bloodshed was another victory.

"You okay?"

Maka bit her lip, but nodded without speaking. It irritated him; the press of the bumbling students surrounding them, Soul could almost feel them being penned in. Like cattle for slaughter. He shook his head and took a few steps back, pulling Maka with him, and blatantly using Ragnarok for cover. The taller Second-Level had saved his own partner differently: picking the slighter, pink-haired boy up off the ground entirely and setting him up on his shoulders.

Without even knowing the kid, Soul could tell the boy was caught between fear of the pressing crowd and being put on the spot with such high-level human contact; choosing to cling to Ragnarok with his face buried in the taller male's hair and ignoring everything around him. Maka's fingers were clutching his own like a lifeline, for once not arguing about getting help since he and Ragnarok were acting as her meat-shields.

Another five minutes had been wasted in the panic of that 'wake up' by the time all the escorts had managed to get everyone calmed down, and Soul pulled Maka along as the teachers had them all line up, refusing to let go until she did.

The blonde nurse caught up with them after the stampede ended. Flicking a long lock of golden hair out of her face, the school Nurse faced them all, "Now that everyone's awake and functioning, allow me to explain how this little trip is going to work. For the next step of your education- teams, you need to have a strong, trusting relationship with all of your teammates. All of you have found a partner, and over the next two days, you'll be put though trials and activities to both forge and test the bond you have with them in hopes you'll be compatible to form part of a four-person team with.

"Food will not be served: everyone is going to pitch in for the whole. Hunting, trapping, fishing, foraging. Today is all about sharing trials and experiences with your partner, tomorrow we're having team activities that will test that new bond by pitting you against each other. We're doing this as both a vacation and assessment of your skills for school; so there will be a grade for the trip, but failing here won't affect your school grade. There will also be a hidden points system for listening well to instruction, execution of given tasks and activities, and team effort.

"As with any point-system, it'd have little point at all without rewards and penalties. The lists of chores, for instance. The judging began the moment you were told of this yesterday. Points have been given and taken based on: How well you followed the list of necessary\allowed items, you've been awarded for every item you remembered, and taxed for each one you forgot or had to have removed as frivolous or rule-breaking. I've come into possession of quite the stash of disallowed food items -Blackstar- and one complete extra set of everything -Death the Kid- all of which will only be returned at the end of the trip when we're back at the Academy. Those of you who've had to have things added, or hauled to the bus when you were given specific instructions of when to be ready to leave, and of course those of you who failed to heed my disembarking warning; have all lost points.

"This is our chore list. When I call your names, step forward and pick two chores. Maka and Soul."

With a subtle flick, Maka freed her hand from his before they stepped up, eyes scanning over the pinboard the other teachers set out. Soul glanced at his teammate, "One each?"

Maka nodded without looking at him, and even though she didn't blush, the white-haired teen was almost certain she was ignoring him because she was embarrassed. Her gloved hand twitched, then curled, and she finally glanced at him, "You pick first."

Ruby eyes scanned over the many jobs offered before shrugging and picking one he thought should be easy enough, "I'll take fishing."

Medusa nodded and made a mark on a clipboard, "Maka?"

"Snares."

The the golden blonde nodded and marked it, then turned to get them their equipment, "Here you are: everything you'll need. Back into line, please. Crona and Ragnarok."

Maka smiled at her brother as they went past, the pink haired boy still perched on his partner's shoulders, face flushed and mostly hidden. Ragnarok didn't even seem to notice, tapping Crona's knee and nodding at the board. Hesitating a moment, the slender teen pointed to his choice, "Berry F-foraging, please."

"Then I'll pick gathering firewood."

Medusa called out the next names and Kid and his partner stepped up to the board. The two didn't seem happy to be partners on this trip at all, Kid immediately plucked up his choice, "I'll tidy up around camp, I suppose."

"The entire clearing's going to be symmetrical by the time we get back." Soul whispered to his teammate. Maka covered her smile with the back of her hand, but her green eyes danced with laughter as she looked back at him and nodded in agreement.

The other boy eyed over the choices before eventually picking tending the fire.

They stepped back when the Nurse nodded, "Thunder and Fire."

And on it went, the brother and sister picking food prep and dish-washing respectively. Tsubaki and Blackstar ended up somewhere around the last third, with Tsubaki's meticulous nature making up for Blackstar's... not meticulous one. The ones who'd been asleep on the bus  _and_  hadn't woken when told to were assigned the worst chores, and it was rather vindicating when Donna and her partner, among several others, were given the job of digging the latrine trenches. Soul didn't even try to hold in his laughter, though Maka had more control.

When everything was decided Medusa turned back to them again, "You'll all have two hours to your assigned task. Come back when your school clips give off this sound." she paused and watched them all jump when their skull-pins let out loud chirps, "You'll have forty-five minutes to get back to camp before you're considered lost and this tone starts." they winced as a high-pitched whine-shriek emitted from the skulls, "At which point you'll not only have to deal with the sound of that until we find you, but also the humiliation of being 'rescued' and dragged back to camp. If something  _does_  go wrong, smack the pin and it will send out an alert, hit it twice and we'll consider it an emergency. If the pin is submerged in water for two minutes or touches human blood, it will send out an immediate emergency signal automatically." she pulled a stopwatch from her cloak like the kind they'd seen on Sid in Gym and held it out, "Your two hours begins... Now."

* * *

Being a city-boy, Soul asked if Maka knew what she was doing in the forest and, receiving a relieving nod, told her to take the lead. The ash-blonde blinked at him in confusion for a moment, then gave a twitch of the lips that Soul was mentally counting as a smile, and led them into the forest. Soul was glad one of them knew what the hell they were doing, because he was clueless about this whole 'wilderness' thing. Every snapping twig had him twitching and expecting... well, he didn't really know, but nothing good!

The whole forest was sort of creepy and the silence around them was really starting to freak him out after about ten minutes. He outright jumped when Maka sighed and turned on him with an annoyed expression, "Please stop that."

Soul blinked in utter confusion, "Stop what?"

Maka stared at him for a moment, head tilted cutely -he mentally smacked himself for the thought, because in the weeks he'd known her it had become painfully obvious Maka had some kind of relationship phobia about other people- before looking pinched, and Soul had the distinct impression of Maka wanting to facepalm herself. She settled for a sigh before looking back at him earnestly, "What do you hear?"

Soul closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, "I don't hear a thing. It's like we're the only things alive out here." his voice was  _not_  freaked out at  _all_.

"That's because you're scaring everything away."

"Me?!" Well  _that_  was news.

"Watch your feet, don't step on twigs, be careful not to brush too heavily against the bushes, step lightly upon the ground. Crashing means grave danger and everything around will flee in fear of what could cause  _your_  flight. Too silent means predators stalking, and humans are too odd for defining  _what_  exactly we'd be hunting. Hear it?"

Since they'd been still and talking -quietly, but not making any effort to be especially silent- sounds of the forest had resumed, and Soul listened as birds chirped from the trees, small rustling sounds reaching him from bushes and underbrush. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some form of furry woodland creature -mutant squirrel?- scurry up into the highest part of a near-by tree.

His breath left in a whoosh of wonder: " _Oh_..."

Maka smiled at the flabbergasted look. She hesitated, then reached out and took his hand, leading him through the forest again, and Soul would have fallen on his face without her there; too busy scanning around to get a look at all the wildlife surrounding them. He tried his best to look down at least every three steps to make sure he wasn't being too loud or clumsy, but this whole nature thing was way more fascinating than he'd thought it would be. And Maka seemed to know everything about it.

The blonde's soft voice filtered back to him, explaining the wonder of the world around them: tracks from animals they passed, plants that were edible or medicinal, the different trees they walked under, until they finally crossed what she identified as a rabbit trail. Soul nodded and started flipping through the booklet they'd gotten to see how to prepare the snares. By the time he found it and looked up, Maka was watching him watch her, traps already set up.

Soul had never felt quite so useless in his life- and that was saying a lot considering what he put up with when it came to his parents.  _So uncool, Soul._  Face pink, he closed the booklet and shoved it back into a back pocket, nodding at his partner's flawless work, "Cool. Let's go find a fishing spot."

Maka closed her eyes and tilted her head for several minutes. Given the amount of experience she'd shown so far, Soul decided it was best not to interrupt her. Then green eyes flicked open, "There's a river not far from here. I can hear the sound of water over stone. It's... that way."

Soul's respect rose and he shrugged, "Lead on."

It didn't take them long to get the the river -well, 'river' might have been excessive; it was more of a wide stream, but it was more of a river than Soul'd ever had experience with- but Soul's hair was starting to look like the trees they'd been walking through; he was sure there were more leaves in his hair than hair... He set the equipment down and started plucking the foliage from his white locks as Maka looked on, stifling a laugh if the shaking of her shoulders were anything to go by. Soul couldn't help an amused smirk of his own and gave up on his hair, plopping cross-legged on the bank of the clear-flowing river and pulling over their fishing gear. They'd been given two poles and a small tackle-box.

He set out to untangle the lines and get things ready when he realized they were missing something, "Hey, there's no-"

Soul was left blinking when he looked up and found Maka crouching in front of him, holding several worms, "Got some bait."

"Where...?"

"The moist soil by riverbanks is softer and easier to crawl through for worms. You don't usually have to dig too far before you find some." she held up the sturdy, pointed stick she'd used to open a hole in the ground.

Soul shook his head and plucked the crawlers from her hands, trapping them in an empty pocket of the tackle box so they didn't escape. He finally got the rods ready and handed Maka hers, which she blinked at before looking back at him in confusion. "What?"

"I... don't know how to use a fishing pole."

The white-haired teen almost facefaulted; how could she be so awesome with the rest of this nature stuff and not even know how to fish? Not that it mattered, since this was one thing he  _did_  know how to do. "Here, hold like this. Click the button and back, then release on the forward swing." he put on a worm and demonstrated, watching the hook plop into the water and float downstream with the bobbin.

Maka copied him, her first cast not even making it to the water, flopping to the ground at her feet. It was a beginner thing, and though extremely funny, Soul did his best not to laugh in case it discouraged her. After three more fails, he couldn't help his snickering, and Maka gave up; walked up the the edge of the water, held her pole out over the stream as far as she could, and click-released her button, letting the water do all the work, sitting down on the bank with an aura of 'don't even talk to me' surrounding her. Soul sat next to her unable to wipe the smirk off his face, and after several minutes Maka sighed and her lips twitched, the rigid expression fading to an amused one as they sat and waited for something to bite.

Maka was the first one to get a bite, but she yanked too hard and let it get away; losing her worm in the process. Soul carefully noted her clenched jaw, "Want me to bait and cast for you?"

Maka put the pole aside and stood up, turning around, "No thank you." then she walked away back into the forest.

Soul worried after her as she disappeared into the foliage. She probably knew what she was doing, but he hoped she didn't wander off too far. Not only did he not want to lose his partner; he hadn't been able to pay much attention to his surroundings when they'd been walking and he was essentially stranded here without her. He let out a relieved sigh when she came back and sat on the ground a bit away up-river of him, then tilted his head in confusion when she started taking off her boots, "Maka?"

She just cast him a sunny smile, otherwise ignoring him as she finished removing her footwear, then stepped out into the stream and moved to the middle of the flow, the water coming up to lap at her knees.

"You're getting your clothes wet..."

"They'll dry."

Shaking his head at his confusing partner, Soul turned back to his own task. It was warm anyway -not hot, not like the Nevada desert, but still warm- so the cool water was probably a relief. He couldn't help watching her, though, as she bent over and held her hand in the water, watching intently for he didn't know what. Soul smirked and rested his cheek on his hand as he waited for a bite. He did finally get one, reeling it in and seeing Maka watching him from the corner of her eye, not moving her head as he pulled the fish on-shore.

"You'll either have to hit it hard to kill it, or let it go until it suffocates. You may want to tilt your pole against a tree and use mine so you don't have to watch."

Soul grimaced, because he'd never caught a fish without planning on releasing it before. Maybe he should have thought about his choice in chore better... He listened to Maka and carefully leaned his fishing pole against a tree before baiting hers and casting, wincing a little at every bout of 'flip-flip-flipping' he heard behind him. He ended up glaring out at the river when it was finally silent, scowling at the water as he waited for another victim to bite.

Crimson eyes strayed to his partner, starting when he saw Maka watching him with the same intensity as she'd had for the stream. Then she turned back to her... whatever she was doing, and Soul let out a sigh.

He was startled out of his blank-minded reverie with an extremely uncool shout as something landed on the ground next to him and he leapt up away from the... fish? He glanced around wildly until his gaze landed on Maka's beaming form, her left hand clapped over her mouth as she obviously tried to hold in her laughter, her right hand -he frowned, didn't she ever take off those gloves of hers?- wet and still raised from...  _plucking the fish out of the water?_

He looked down at the flopping thing, and then it started flipping its way back towards the water. "Don't let it escape!"

"I'm not!" He shouted back, dropping his pole and diving for the fish. He yelped as he grabbed the slippery thing and felt something pierce his hand, "Ah! Dammit!" instinctive reaction had him yanking his left hand away from the evil thing. The fish used that opportunity to escape from his grasp to the ground again and Soul chased after it, carefully trying to grab the damn thing. He caught it again, for all of six seconds before it managed to slip out of his hold and- SPLASH!

Soul was left standing on the shore, bleeding from the spiky fin, covered in fish slime and water with a shocked look on his face. Maka apparently couldn't take it anymore and burst out in full-bodied melodic laughter, holding nothing back. When she finally managed to get a hold of herself, she made her way back over and helped him wash the blood off so he didn't accidentally get them 'rescued' if he touched his pin, then wandered off to get some of those medicinal leaves she'd spoken of before, wrapping his hand for him; a giggle still escaping every few minutes.

Soul glared at her, then at the river, "...I'll say nothing about the pole kicking your ass if you don't about the fish owning mine."

Maka glanced up at him, the corners of her mouth twitching again, "Deal."

Soul was vindictive enough to have no issue with killing the rest of their catch after that.

212121


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words cannot express my sorrow or apologies about how terribly long it's been since the last update. Some of my readers following me instead of just the stories can see that life sort of caught up with me, and then I got tangled in the allure of a new fandom for a while and my poor Plunny Phred just collapsed afterward. But I'm not giving up -ever- on these stories, and here's proof of that. A merry Christmas\please-don't-kill-me present to all my readers.
> 
> A very bright thing to note, at least, is that I know exactly where I want the next chapter to go, so if the post-holiday stress doesn't get in the way, that will be up on New Year's. Thank you all so much for your support and understanding, it really means the world to me. *bows*

222222

"I feel it is only fair to point out that I have  _no_ clue what you're doing over there."

Crona looked up from the bush he was inspecting -the leaves had to be the right shade: the only real difference between the edible berries he thought these were and the bird-berries that made a person sick to their stomach was the color of the leaves- to where Ragnarok was chucking deadfall from the trees in one spot. He turned back to the bush, deciding that the leaves  _were_  the appropriate shade of green, and began plucking the small fruits, "I'm identifying berries?"

The taller teen didn't look up from his task, "Yeah: no, I get that. I mean I don't even understand  _how_  you can do that. I don't have allergies or anything, so I can honestly say the safety of eating what plant has never even crossed my mind."

Crona didn't have to pay much attention to his own chore -how much concentration did it really take to pick berries from a bush, after all?- but tried to keep from staring at the older boy directly, "Um... would you like to learn?"

"I couldn't tell you the difference between raspberries and blackberries. I don't think I'd be much help trying to discern twelve different types of green-leafiness for something edible."

"It's not so difficult. I know some that are really easy to identify."

Crona nearly jumped from his skin when he looked up from shooing away a bug from the bush and saw Ragnarok  _right there_ , grinning at him, "Okay, then: Teach me how to spot a good plant that even someone like  _me_  couldn't mistake."

The current berries he was gathering were definitely not on that list: the wrong look-alikes could induce severe stomach cramps and vomiting. The pink-haired teen straightened up and looked around their general area, not spotting any other berry-bushes or plants with edible roots that he knew of, "Um..."

In fact, there weren't very many bushes around them overall, this was one of the first they'd found and that had been after a good half-hour of walking. There were certainly plenty of trees around, though: lots of different species of maple interspersed with the evergreens- one of the others had probably gotten the 'pine-nut picking' chore already, though.

"Oh! Over here." It wasn't a fruit-bearing plant- certainly wasn't a bush, either- but it was absolutely safe, "This one is really easy to identify. It's sassafras."

"Sassa-what?"

"Sassafras. It's a tree. See the leaves? It's easy to spot because it's got three different types all at once. One oval, one mitten-shaped, and one three-pronged."

Ragnarok stared at the tree suspiciously, "...That's freaky. It's some sort of mutant tree that can't decide what kind of leaves it wants?"

Crona couldn't help it: he giggled, "Don't know, just that that's how you tell." he plucked one of the 'mutant leaves' and held it out, "Here: try it."

"Try it, like...?"

"Taste."

"I am not eating that mutant leaf."

Crona took another one and stuffed it in his own mouth, chewing to release the lemon-like flavor, "Sassafras makes a wonderful tea, but even chewing on the leaves can help control thirst. Sassafras was one of the primary ingredients in root beer."

Ragnarok looked skeptical still, but reluctantly took a leaf, "I'm not afraid of any salad." Despite his words, he winced as he put it in his mouth, as if it could bite back, and Crona smothered a smile as he turned back to his task. "Hey, this isn't so bad..." Crona startled a little but admirably didn't jump when the taller teen put an arm around his shoulder and leaned forward, staring at the bush in front of them with active interest, "So, teach me more."

"O-okay... These are wild cherries, but you have to be careful because they're very similar to bird berries..."

* * *

Soul grimaced as scales flew beneath his hands, "This is six kinds of disgusting... Do you think we'll be allowed to switch chores when we get back, or tomorrow, maybe?"

Maka didn't answer, but then, he didn't expect her to. By now she'd realized he was bitching just to bitch- he had to get rid of the stress somehow. He'd gotten over the killing their catch thing, but just like he hadn't thought about that originally, he wasn't at all prepared for actually... well,  _preparing_  them, either.

His face was going to get permanently stuck in the disgusted grimace by the end of the day. Fish after fish after fish: he scaled them all- he probably looked like some strange sea creature by now- and Maka slit them open and took out all the guts. It was by far the grossest thing he'd ever done. There was blood and scales and other...  _muck_  all around them and all the while those accusing eyes staring up at him.

Soul was never going fishing again. He didn't want to see another fish, he didn't want to smell another fish, and he hoped someone else with a food chore had been as lucky -if it could be called that- as them, because damned if he was going to  _eat_  a fish after all this.

Next time he'd pick something simpler and more relaxing, like hauling heavy buckets of water back and forth to be boiled for drinking. Anything had to be better than being elbow-deep in fish yuck.

Soul sighed as he finished with another victim and grabbed the next from the pile. At the very least they'd done well at their assigned task: they must have had about fifteen fish between them- though it felt more like three dozen. His arm was getting tired of the repetitive motion of the fish scaler.

"So... How did you get to be so good at all this nature stuff?"

Maka paused in her actions -because she was smarter than him and stopped messing with the sharp objects when she looked away from them, unlike him; as his second bandage of the day attested to- to look up at him before going back to work with a shrug, "I just had to be. I was like you at first: we used to live in the city. That's how I know Liz and Patty. Used to be cold in the winter time. I remember all of us huddling together in the local library to stay warm, and we'd look for anything useful to read.

"Then one day Liz and Patty just disappeared. We moved not too long after that, out to a wooded area not so different from this. Some of the things we remembered from books we'd read, but a lot we found out on our own. Animals and hunting and trapping are all easy, you just need some logic to figure it out. But plants are tricky, and it's hard to tell some of the good stuff from the deadly stuff, so we'd wait until we got the chance to go to the city and looked things up."

Soul opened his mouth to comment, only to turn aside and spit as a scale flew into his mouth, "Ugh, yuck." he spit again to get rid of the swampy taste before turning back to keep his eyes on his hands, "I never did any of that stuff. I've always been a city boy. I went fishing a few times, of course- camping, too. But I can't start a fire or anything unless I have matches or something. You know: just time-wasting crap. And all that was a long time ago, anyway."

The conversation naturally lulled into silence while they both focused on what they were doing, and Soul was grateful to notice that they only had three more fish to do, anyway. Then they could rinse off and start heading back.

"Would you..." Maka trailed off, obviously unsure of herself.

Soul looked up and grinned at her, "Probably, but ask me anyway just to be sure."

She flashed him an amused, thankful smile, "Would you like to meet the Little One when we get back?"

"Little One? I've heard that name..." He wasn't certain why exactly it sounded so familiar, but shrugged it off- if it was important enough, he'd remember it, "Sure."

Maka's smile melted into something warmer and Soul looked back at what he was doing before he injured himself for the  _third_  time today. The remaining fish seemed to go by a lot quicker, even as they dallied and delayed by sneaking more looks at one another, startling and beaming when they caught each other at it, one time even making Maka break out giggling.

Soul didn't feel the need to complain any more after that.

He sat back on his knees with a sigh when they were finished, wiping his face with the back of his sleeve- on one of the few patches not covered in fish scales...- while Maka strung up their catch all on a string of excess line she'd cut from the reel. Then they were ready to get cleaned up, rinsing the fish of what little blood and goo that remained, then finally - _finally_ \- themselves. Soul was so sick of being covered in slime.

It was a huge relief to be able to thrust his hands up to the elbow in the cool river water and let it sweep all the fish remains from his hands and arms. He looked up at a choking sound and saw Maka's lips twitching his direction, "You're getting your clothes wet."

He smirked and echoed her own words back at her, "They'll dry."

Soul didn't hesitate to lean down and splash his face, either, feeling dirt and scales fall away. He cleaned up quicker than his blonde partner, but he only had said slime and scales to deal with. Maka was only about two feet away, scrubbing diligently at her bloodied gloves after taking care of their catch.

Soul watched her for a minute before being unable to keep himself from speaking, "Don't you ever take off those gloves?"

Maka flinched and hunched her shoulders, not looking up at him as she started scrubbing even harder, "Not if I can help it."

Her whole body was exuding an aura of 'don't ask, don't ask, don't ask' and Soul respected it, taking off his headband and dunking it in the stream before moving closer and -slowly, with Maka watching warily- wiped off her face, "Kay, then. But you've got fish yuck on your face, too." he looked down at himself and snickered, "We're both a mess."

Soul stood up and stretched, cracking his back, then rinsed his headband and put it back on again; the chill of the water feeling good in the heat of the day. Maka was watching him with something above surprise and approaching wonder. When he caught her staring, she turned away and finished cleaning her gloved hands- wiping them over her face as well- and stood up herself, hoisting their catch over her shoulder.

They both jumped when their skull pins chirped in sync, Soul motioning to the forest, "Ladies first. And that's not just chivalry: don't forget I have no idea where exactly we are or how to get back to camp."

Maka seemed to be opening up to him more out here. Her smiles were more free, like she'd finally realized she wouldn't be persecuted for showing she was happy. She nodded, her ponytails flopping forward as she stepped forward with a spark in her step, rounding on him and walking backward -how the hell could she do that in the forest with all the trippy-things littered about?- with a smile, "Kay, then."

When they got to the underbrush, Maka turned back around to watch where she was going, and Soul carefully watched where she placed her feet so he could try to put his in the same spots. He was less concerned with rubbernecking this time, watching where they were going instead of all the nature surrounding them. He'd had plenty of time to appreciate the trees and small wildlife as they fished.

Soul was more interested in the sounds and general aura of the area now. It had been so long since he'd left the Academy grounds. It was different for the students who spent half their time at the school and the other half at home, but Soul had been at the DWMA for so long now, he'd forgotten what it was to be out of the dry desert air. The air here was so alien to him now. It wasn't even humid, but there was so much more moisture than he was used to. In the desert, you got used to chugging water at a near inhuman rate in order to stay hydrated, even more when you went through strenuous workouts like the kind they got. But he'd barely been thirsty at all since they'd gotten off the bus.

Even outside in Nevada- or where they were in Nevada, anyway- it was rare to hear more than the very occasional bird or coyote. But here... the sounds of the forest were all around them. The limbs of the trees rattled with the movement of tiny woodland creatures bounding across them, the rustle of leaves in the wind that sent mottled light across the ground below the canopy of green. Just the sound of running water flowing over stones instead of inside pipes- the whole experience made Soul concerned over how much he was missing, how much he was leaving behind, by being an all-year student.

Yeah, he couldn't go back to his parents' place, but he'd been closing himself off more than he'd realized. He'd turned down offers by the teachers to take him out places during vacations: he hadn't wanted to be a burden. But how much had he really been missing out on by doing so? Because he really could imagine it in his mind's eye: camping with Nygus gleefully dragging him along, laughing as she watched him trying to keep up trail-climbing; tagging along with Sid as he went out to different cities across the globe on the non-hunting missions; Mifune showing him the mountains the swordsman called home, teaching him how to climb them. He'd had those offers before... and he'd chosen to stay locked in his room.

 _I was an idiot._  Even here and now: with the fishing, it had been totally disgusting and he'd bitched about it a lot, but he didn't regret learning about it. Spending time with Maka, just playing around even while they were supposed to be being responsible... It was  _fun_. He'd almost forgotten what fun was like. Maybe the next time he was feeling too energetic, he could go hiking instead of getting in trouble with Blackstar.

Soul was startled out of his thoughts -damn near out of his  _skin_ \- at a shrill scream that resounded through the forest, "Fuck! What the hell?!"

Maka paused in front of him and looked back over her shoulder reassuringly while he tried to make sure his heart was still beating, "It's a rabbit. I think something found one of our snares before we did."

"That was a  _bunny_?!"

She smirked back at him in that knowing way that made him roll his eyes and stuff his hands in his pockets with a mutter of not being afraid.

By the time they got to the snare it was indeed empty: blood and fur scattered around. Maka disassembled what was left of the trap and packed it up, "Fox, I think. What stole the rabbit, I mean. Hopefully the other ones worked and haven't been raided."

Of the other two snares they -well, really, Maka- had set, one hadn't even been tripped, but the other had another rabbit in it: a brown one that wasn't as fluffy as Soul had imagined it'd be. They'd been rather lucky in that the rabbit had been caught around the throat and strangled itself without either of them needing to do anything. Soul had had just about enough killing things for the day.

Maka gathered the traps and then pulled Soul down and handed him the knife she'd been using to take care of the fish earlier, "Your turn. You gut it, I'll skin it."

When he'd thought that anything would be better than being elbow-deep in fish yuck, this was  _not_  what he'd have considered an acceptable alternative... Soul took the blade with a sigh and listened to her instructions with the familiar grimace of distaste once again settling itself on his face.

222222


	23. Chapter 23

232323

 _She came awake at the strange feeling in the air, the other side of the bed empty and cold already. Her husband must have gone out to check on something some time ago. The man thought he knew the land like the back of his hand-_ _**she** _ _knew there were times he didn't even recognize his own hand, the fool man._

_With an exasperated sigh and fond smile, she got up and reached for the white bed robe to wrap around her before padding from the bedroom in her socks and stepping out into the cool night air of their porch._

_It was dark out, the moon in the sky above going through the darker part of its cycle, but she knew the land around her and felt no fear in stepping from the porch onto the dry ground below. The earth radiated night-coolness to the soles of her feet and she crept forward in search of her silly husband, twigs and roots snapping and creaking underfoot._

_She moved from the clearing the house rested in further into the forest, a gust of wind encouraging her to pull her robe tighter about herself. She shivered. These were trees she'd walked through nearly her entire life, they had never failed to comfort her. But as she put more distance between herself and the house, she couldn't stop the feeling that something was wrong._

_It took her time to work it out as she searched, but she realized that it was the silence that was getting to her. The woods were never silent like this before. Leaves rustled, branches shook, life went on around her- except it wasn't. The trees were silent, nothing rustled, nothing moved; the crickets didn't even chirp._

_She hugged herself for comfort, the air feeling thicker, heavier, around her. Something was very wrong._

_She rounded the far side of the grove and almost shouted in relief. There was her foolish husband on the ground under the stars, he'd probably gotten lost and just laid down to sleep until morning or her- whichever found him first. She smiled as she moved forward. Foolish, clumsy, endearing man._

_She stopped a distance away in confusion, though, at the dark shape she'd thought was a tree shadow next to her beloved. What was more, the silence had finally lifted, but she couldn't make sense of the wet sounds she was hearing._

_She took another trembling step forward, "Darling?"_

_Her breath caught in her throat, eyes going impossibly wide, as she made sense of the darkness surrounding her husband, the spreading pool of shadow. Her mind rebelled, unwilling to believe it: her beloved had_ _**not** _ _been injured and bleeding out while she slept unaware! What had he done? Had he been attacked by a mountain lion?_

_She stumbled forward another step, freezing in place as the dark form beside the fallen man moved- the form certainly not that of a large cat- and dark, shadowy eyes looked up at her. A growl- an unnatural, inhuman, non-animal growl- sounded as it opened its mouth, and a wet plop came as it dropped whatever had been in it. Her eyes flicked to it, having butchered enough cows to know what a heart looked like._

_Her own stuttered in her chest and she stumbled backward, tripping over her own feet as abyssal eyes locked on her shaking form. That was her husband, on the ground, with his heart torn out by this- this_ _**thing** _ _, and she knew, in the way it looked at her, that she was next._

_She instinctively tried to back away, to get as far from the horror in front of her as she could. It tilted its head, and for she thought she'd do it, that it would let her go- then it's eyes flashed a wretched, glowing crimson, and it **struck**._

* * *

Nearly everyone screamed in terror as the dark creature-form with piercing crimson eyes struck out for them. There was no lack of teenagers falling completely off their logs backward as they scrambled to get away from the magic-conjured shade Medusa had crafted above the glowing coals that had once been their brightly-burning fire.

Soul himself jumped, but was glad it went unnoticed while everyone else dealt with their own fear. He glanced over to see Maka standing at the treeline, leaned against what he now knew was a maple from hours of hearing Crona describe them in detail to Ragnarok. The ash-blonde didn't seem the least bit afraid- if a little wary of the magic-working itself- her arms folded -not crossed, Soul noted, though he didn't know why he noted that- as she watched the rest of them get years scared from their lives.

Crona had been one of the ones that tumbled from his seat -though his partner caught him easily and set him right- not because he'd been frightened of the story, on the contrary, he and Ragnarok had been far too engrossed in each other and whispering to pay attention even when the fire had been put mostly out, it was  _because_  he hadn't been paying attention that he'd been frightened by the sudden lunging of the shadow-creature.

Soul watched Maka watch her brother go through his entire episode and get calmed by the older teen before she turned away from the firesite and walked off towards the lake a little ways from camp. Without a thought, Soul got up and followed her.

She stopped at the edge of the lake and sat down, not close enough to get dampened by a stray wave, but close enough to feel the slight mist that rose from the water. Soul settled next to her and just waited. He was learning a lot about Maka: he'd learned she had a hidden streak of humor, a not-so-hidden protective streak a mile and a half wide, that repetitive motion -like a bus- made her drowsy, and that she was amazingly competent in whatever she tried, or tried until she  _became_  competent.

He'd also learned just a few hours ago that she looked drastically different without her signature pigtails. They'd both had to shower after their chores -and just before which Soul had gotten his wish granted as he'd asked to change chores just in time to be assigned the bucket-hauling for the water of said out-door showers- and change clothes. At least they hadn't gotten the clothes-washing chore...

Soul didn't look much different no matter what he did: his hair was a constantly untamable mess that was only kept out of his face thanks to his headband, the only difference now was that it flopped into his eyes and he spent extra time huffing about it and shoving it back out of his way. His wardrobe was his usual comfort-casual, and he'd changed into what amounted to pajamas: soft flannel pants and a blue long-sleeved shirt that had the creature decal on the front.

Maka looked completely different. Her hiking outfit hadn't looked all that different from her school one: the skirt, the double shirt, the overcoat: just a change in palate. And her ponytails, of course. That Maka looked nothing like the one looking out over the water's surface next to him. This Maka had long -dark- jeans on, a light blue shirt with white edging, and a pink zip-up hoodie that was almost completely done up currently. But the biggest change was the lack of her hair being up.

Soul had only once seen her like that before, and he hadn't even been able to get a good look at her then because she'd only had her hair down to hide behind it. But she wasn't hiding now: her ash-blonde locks framed her face and completely undid the school-girl\bookworm aura she seemed to always radiate. She wasn't a student now, she was just... Maka. It was an astounding change.

She took a deep breath and let it out, then finally acknowledged him by looking over at him, knees to her chest and her arms rested on them. She flinched in perfect time to the sound of a distant scream from camp, wincing and closing her eyes in what seemed like pain. It wasn't hard to figure out the reason: anyone with eyes who'd been in the same room as them could see the bond between Maka and Crona.

"Crona is lucky to have you." Green eyes snapped open to stare at him, and Soul went on: "You're a good sister, Maka."

She looked away out over the water, "He doesn't need me anymore."

Soul couldn't control his outburst, a spark of something very like fear flaring to life in his chest, "That's stupid!" Maka flinched again, that time entirely his fault for shouting, and he moderated his tone but went on none-the-less, "You're his  _sister_. That doesn't just go away because he's found someone else. If Crona makes three dozen friends and has two boyfriends and a mistress on the side, you'll still always be his only sister. Someday, something is going to happen, and nothing his friends or Ragnarok can do will be enough to help, and he'll come to you, because you've always been there for him, and he knows that won't ever change."

"How... how do you know?"

"Because. Because there's something special between siblings -and I don't mean blood, because even spiritual siblings are the same- that can only ever be soothed by the other. It might be a long time coming, but I can guarantee that it  _will_  happen. So don't..." he paused, feeling stupid for even thinking she could, but his own parents showed rather starkly that it was possible, "Don't give up on being his sister. Don't ever stop caring. Promise me."

Maka's piercing emerald gaze bored into him in that seeking way, but she nodded, "I promise."

"Okay?"

She nodded again, her hands unclenching from her forearms, "Okay."

"Okay." Soul let out a breath and leaned back, sinking his fingers into the grass behind him, "I wish I still had that."

"Still?"

Soul considered not answering her, of locking her out again, like the time she'd brought him his homework. But even more than he wanted to keep the promise he'd made to her after that time, he wanted her to understand, to  _know_  she couldn't ever take her brother for granted. So he told her.

"I took it for granted: always having that someone to listen to, to talk to, to just  _be there_." His crimson gaze slid her way, "And then my brother died. There was nothing anyone could do, nothing anyone  _could have_  done. Wes was amazing: everybody loved him. You couldn't be in a room with him without wanting to be around him, to talk, to just be near him. He was a master violinist-  _all_  his music was just the best there was. Our parents adored him."

Something else about Maka that Soul had learned: she never missed a thing, "And you? Did they adore you?"

The showing of his teeth was a predatory thing unrelated to a smile, "I was -am- ...the family black sheep. My musical tastes have never run towards the classic, high-end ideal my family praises. Wes was the only one who ever said what I did was worth anything at all. My parents ignored me for the most part, and I was more or less fine with that. I mean, it was like that for lots of families, wasn't it? Younger siblings being overshadowed by older siblings? I just didn't fit in with their perfect picture of what the family should be- between my music and my teeth... and then I Manifested, and it was the death knell for anything that might have been.

"Wes was it: he didn't freak out when I showed to be some future mutant killing machine, he never scorned my playing, he always included me in anything he could. He was one of those perfect people you wanted to hate but just couldn't possibly after actually meeting him. And I was his precious little brother. He loved me- I think he was the only one in our family that did. He listened to me when I went off on rants about how stupid our parents were being, or my frustration with the annoying high society assholes we had to deal with, and he would just take it all and somehow make it better.

"And then he died.

"We were coming home from a recital- one that had featured both of us. He'd gone first, and our parents had left as soon as he'd finished, but Wes stayed to see me play. That's what family  _does_. And he drove us home. It was a freak thing: it hadn't been raining or snowing, the roads were clear, the sky was clear-  _nothing_  was wrong. The other driver hadn't been drinking, hadn't been high, hadn't been in any way impaired in the least: their brakes just gave out and they couldn't stop.

"The other car t-boned us and sent us down into a ditch, we rolled like four times or something because of the momentum before stopping. I only found out all of that later, of course. When it happened it was just instant. One moment we were talking about the recital: I'd gotten a standing ovation and Wes was so  _proud_ , and I was thinking that it might have been the greatest night of my life- people had  _liked_  it, my music, had applauded me and wanted more and my parents could just  _fuck_  themselves because I  _wasn't_  a waste of musical talent. ...And the next moment I saw headlights behind Wes' head and the whole world spun out of control, the car tumbling over and over and over again, like I was just a piece of clothing in the world's biggest and most horrifying washing machine.

"Then we stopped- or the car did- but my head just kept on spinning and spinning and spinning until I felt like hurling. When it finally stopped there was just blood everywhere. Wes' blood. He'd hit his head on the steering wheel so hard in the roll, it just wouldn't stop. But that stupid idiot just smiled at me while I looked at him like it was the end of the fucking world because it  _was_ \- it was the end of  _my_  world, of  _his_ , and he just kept on smiling and said he was glad I wasn't hurt. He said he was so proud of me, that I should show the world and never give up my music- and then he just-" Soul didn't even realize he was crying until Maka's gloved hand reached over to wipe at the tears. He couldn't smile at the moment, it just wasn't in him, but he gave her a thankful look and tried to pull himself together. "And he just died."

Maka was silent, and he understood that she understood. And he was glad - _so_  thankful- that she didn't say 'sorry', because that fucking trite little phrase meant  _nothing_  to the loss. She was quiet instead, giving him the chance to put himself together, giving his situation honest thought, not trivial placations.

Soul hadn't even intended to tell her as much as he had, but once he'd started he just couldn't stop himself until it was all out. He still couldn't stop himself.

"I'd gotten invitations to the DWMA before that, not long after I first Manifested. I'd always turned them down. After the funeral, I got another one that I didn't answer. I was too lost to think about school for my freaky powers. I threw myself into my music, my parents started paying attention to me and even though it was because my brother was dead and part of me had died with him it still-" he took a deep breath, "It still made me happy that they were finally,  _finally_  seeing me. So, you know... I tried. I tried for them, to be what they wanted me to be. I played classical music and let mine fall to the wayside, I wore their stuffy clothes and talked to stuffier people.

"It just didn't work out. It wasn't the same, wasn't what they wanted. The piano wasn't the violin, my music wasn't as vibrant as his had been, I wasn't Wes. So they gave up on me, and I gave up back. I stopped playing, lost all interest in my music, and finally accepted the DWMA invitation just to get away from my parents. When I'm feeling particularly sentimental, I'll write them a letter about how well I'm doing: all the progress I'm making, the praise the teachers have for my abilities, that kind of thing. Most times they're returned unopened. If I'm lucky I'll get a three word reply.

"Wes and I might just have well both died the way my parents see it, and I'm absolutely certain they'd rather it have been me instead of him. And for that, for everything, I hate them."

232323

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I finally managed to fit in that scary stories part everyone asked for. ...How horridly did I manage to mangle it? As always: Thank you for reading, and send me any thoughts or suggestions you have~!


	24. Chapter 24

242424

Maka didn't speak much, she didn't have the experience for it. But she was great at listening. She listened as Soul poured his heart out, purged the poisonous pain that he'd been carrying alone for so long. And she felt it all.

The white-haired boy's soul was like a stained glass window to her, showing everything, and she felt it all with him as his soul rang with pain and sorrow. Maka still didn't have the words to comfort him- both of them. She felt his pain, his loss, his  _loneliness_. And  _that_  at least, she could help soothe away. So Maka didn't speak, didn't consol, she just moved closer and leaned against his side to let him know that she was there.

Her heart beat softly, she breathed calmly, and she sent out simple 'I'm here' pings with her soul wavelength. Soul's pain echoed a place deep within her own heart: that place that feared losing Crona, that shied away from people because she didn't want them to reject her.

For so, so long, it had been just her and Crona. There had been no one else, even if they'd wanted,  _needed_  help, there had been no one there to give it. Maka had adapted to that, to relying only on herself because there would just  _not be_  anyone else. It was why she'd gotten defensive when others helped her: not because she thought others might think her weak, but because it might actually  _make_  her weak. She didn't want to grow used to relying on others, to getting help, because she didn't want to need that help after she'd grown used to it being offered and have it suddenly not be there when she needed it most.

Maka was strong, she could handle things on her own. She was used to that. She'd been tempered by trials and pain and forced to stand on her own. If someone she allowed herself to trust, to let go and let others inside, and they let her down or rejected her, after all of that,  _that_  would break her. And that was what she was afraid of.

She counted Crona in that number, and his gravitating to Ragnarok terrified her because it meant he might not be there when - _if_ \- she needed him.

But being alone, being strong; that hadn't helped Soul. Pouring himself out to her, to another person,  _that_  had helped him. He couldn't do it on his own. And, surprising herself, Maka didn't think less of him for that. She and Crona, they hadn't been able to get out from under their parents' influence on their own; they'd needed someone else to step in and help them. Lady Medusa and the others certainly didn't think any less of them for needing that help.

Sitting there beside the lake with Soul, Maka came to the realization that no one could do it alone. She couldn't take care of Crona alone- Ragnarok had proven that by being there to pick up the slack- she and Crona hadn't been able to handle their parents alone, Soul hadn't been able to deal with his sadness on his own. And none of them were lesser for not having been able to do those things.

Maka felt something inside her throb. Soul's earlier words came back to her again:  _"Just because you_ _ **can**_ _do something alone doesn't mean you_ _ **have**_ _to."_

Maka's pulse picked up as she was struck with an epiphany.  _I don't want to be alone anymore..._  Her breath caught in her throat as the realization slammed through her and rearranged her entire outlook on life.  _That_  was why Crona was drawn to Ragnarok. Not because he was better than she was, or because she was lacking, Crona was just tired of being alone- so was Maka.

Maka didn't move away from Soul when he finally calmed down, she didn't want to. She didn't pull away, and -wonder of wonders- she  _trusted him_  not to, either. It was so strange... so calm: just a moment of mutual support and understanding.

She took a deep, cleansing breath, blew it out, and held out her hand, "Do you still want to know about my gloves?"

Soul shook his head- not in negation, though- "You don't have to do that, I didn't tell you that just to get you to-"

"It's okay. I want to." She was surprised to find it was true. She honestly wanted to tell Soul. "My parents -mine and Crona's- didn't treasure either of us. We aren't even people to them, we were investments. Weapons, chattel. It's all we've known, all our lives. I hadn't even imagined things could ever be any different. When I found out ours was the perverse one, it was the strangest moment of my life, like everything was a lie.

"I did something I'd never done before: I fought back. I argued, I broke things. I was furious. Papa wasn't even home, he'd taken Crona out. It was just Mama and I. She got so mad, and I didn't care at all, I just kept ranting at her. She waited me out and I eventually got tired. And then... then she said- she said it was us. It wasn't them, or the rest of the world, it was Crona's fault, my fault, that we were treated the way we were.

"She opened the door wide and told me to leave if I wanted, and take Crona with me, that I was worthless anyway and no one else in the world would treat us any better than they had. Because we weren't worth that. I couldn't move. I was... I was scared- terrified. Because what... what if she was right? What if it was all our fault? What if I took Crona and ran away from them and we ended up in this big wide world full of people that treated us the same way? At home it was just Mama and Papa, but the world is full of so many other people; we'd never survive that, we barely survived at home.

"And I had seen it, with Liz and Patty. Out on the streets, no one cares about anyone else. Street rats, riff-raff. They walked by while we froze in the middle of the street. I couldn't do it. I had freedom right there in front of me: the door was wide open, I could  _see_ outside, smell the night closing in, and for the life of me I couldn't walk through the doorway.

"So she closed the door and had me repeat all my failings, all the reasons I was worthless, and she had me say it, over and over again, until I was crying because it was so true and I was so,  _so_  sorry I had upset her and thrown a tantrum. She said she understood, that she forgave me, but she had to punish me anyway, and I... I agreed with her. I'd done something wrong, been so wrong, and I deserved to be punished for it."

Maka brought her hand to her mouth and bit the tip of the middle finger of her glove, pulling it off and holding the trembling appendage up to the faint light of the moon overhead as it flickered behind the clouds that had made it such a perfect night for campfire stories. Soul's breath hitched and he reached for her, hesitating and looking to her questioningly until she nodded, then took her hand in his, running careful fingers over the off-colored, pale, puckered lines that covered her hand front and back almost like tiger stripes.

"She had been making dinner when I started my fit. So when it was over she pulled me over to the stove and moved the pan off the burner. Then she grabbed my hand and held it to the grate."

Soul's hand closed over hers, both of them shaking, and leaned into her further. Maka stared at the disfiguring scars, raised lines a mockery of healing. She could still feel the searing heat as it ate away at her hands, the point when it had started numbing as the heat deadened nerves. She could still remember the smell of scorched hair and burned flesh, and the disquieting memory the pleasant scent of cooking meat had invaded her nose even as she'd screamed her agony to an uncaring world. And then Mizune had done it to her other hand as well.

She still lacked tactile sensation in her hands: could barely feel a thing on even the unmarked portion of her skin. Heat she could feel, the warmth of Soul's hands against hers, but she couldn't feel his fingers tracing the hideous scars that covered her own even as she watched them do so.

Unable to help herself, Maka's fingers curled over his, "You were brave. You got away from your parents."

Soul squeezed back, "You probably wouldn't have cared what the rest of the world could do if you'd lost Crona. We survived, Maka; don't underestimate that. We lived, take pride in that victory: not everyone does. But  _we_ did: we lived. We did it."

The white haired teen leaned forward to grin at her, at which point his hair fell into his eyes again and he blew at it in frustration, corralling it back with his free hand with a huff. Maka couldn't hold back a giggle that she surprised herself with, and Soul's aggravated expression melted back into an even bigger grin.

Maka withdrew her fingers to lower the zipper on her hoodie enough for her to reach into her neckline and pull up the thin strand around her throat, up and off her head, her hair trailing behind it as she took it off and held it out to him, "Here."

Soul took it, eyebrows raising in surprise, "A... headband?" It was so thin it could have been a  _hair band_.

Maka shrugged, "I use it sometimes, when I let my hair down but it gets in the way. My hair's so long now it doesn't need it anymore, but I've always worn it just in case. You can have it."

Red eyes looked at her searchingly for a minute, but she smiled, honestly not minding giving it up, and he nodded, pulling it on over his head down to his neck, then pushing it back up so it caught and held his hair back. He pulled a few locks back down through, then gave her one of his signature cock-eyed smiles, showing off sharpened teeth. She smiled back, a gentle, quiet one that didn't show any teeth, but made her eyes sparkle in simple happiness.

The clouds overhead moved just enough for a momentary shaft of moonlight to illuminate them both. The white standing out in the darkness, Soul's fiery red eyes reflecting the light, his sun-warmed skin seeming to gleam, Maka held her breath for a minute and then couldn't stop herself from blurting out: "You're very pretty."

Soul grimaced, "What? I'm a guy; guys aren't pretty, they're handsome. And I'm not either. With my eyes and hair, and my  _teeth_..."

"But you are." And Maka didn't just mean that he was easy to look at. As a person, he was kind, genuinely, honestly kind, with no expectation of reward. Even in his excitement he held an inner strength that drew her like insects to honey, hoping to become trapped within the precious amber. In a world where Maka had faced so much opposition, seen so much bad of the human race and yet held on to her own humanity, Soul was beautiful, and in that same world where Maka had all her life been called out for her flaws and told she was ugly, there was no higher compliment she could give.

Soul's cheeks heated, "You just- you... shut up, would ya?"

He looked away out over the lake when she giggled at him again, aggressively grabbing her hand back as his face reddened and equally aggressively avoiding looking back at her. Maka put her other arm across her knees and laid her cheek against it as they watched the dappled moonlight break through the cloud cover to dance upon the rippling surface of the lake. It was quiet, with the camp far enough away that the shouts were little more than the buzzing of bugs, the rustling of the trees all they needed. And Maka was... happy. She was really, truly happy, here with Soul and for the first time in a long time, not alone- not lonely, either.

"You are, too, you know." She looked over to him in question, but Soul was still refusing to face her. His grip on her hand tightened for just an instant, "Pretty." His face had gone the color of cinnamon.

Maka wasn't sure she could believe, as often as she'd been told the exact opposite, but when Soul finally looked back at her, stared into her eyes and didn't even glance at her deficient chest, she felt like it. Warmth suffused her whole body and she squeezed his hand back, unable to hide her pleasure, and leaned ever-so-slightly into him with a happy sigh as they turned back to the water. If this was at all what Crona felt like with Ragnarok, Maka completely understood his wanting to embrace it wholly.

Maka closed her eyes, savoring all the feelings swirling through her body and echoing within her soul like pebbles that had been dropped into a pond. The wind blew softly across the lake, a refreshing breeze she breathed in gratefully, the water-chill not sinking in when she felt so warm where their hands were connected. When fireflies began to emerge from the woods around them, dancing over the lake where their gentle lights were reflected, it was, for Maka, a single moment of perfection in a life that had never had any before.

* * *

_It was dark. That was Maka's first thought. It wasn't the comforting, hiding darkness she was so used to and unafraid of; this was an oppressive, ominous darkness, the kind that hid predators stalking in the night. It was a sensation Maka wasn't used to:_ _**she** _ _was always the predator before._

_It was some kind of hallway, and she kept her hand against the wall as she moved on toward the small light she could see at the end of the hall. The path behind her disappeared into inky blackness as she moved, the hall around her was unlike any she'd ever been in. Not because it was made of pitch black stones, or seemed to drink in light until there was none left, but because it called to her deepest heart, tugged at her._

_It was familiar even though she'd never seen anything like it before. Her steps resounded in the otherwise echoing silence that engulfed her and the passage. The pressure and sense of danger were stifling, but flowed around her without seeming to touch her. It took forever and only an instant to finally reach the end and emerge into a large room lit by strange candles: black wax with beautiful blue flames burning low. They flickered as though in distress, the wicks burned down into the candles themselves and threatening to drown in the melted wax pooling in the depressions._

_It was... wrong. Maka could feel it. Such beautiful flames shouldn't be at risk because of the very thing meant to nurture them. Without even thinking about it, she summoned her scythe and carefully cut grooves down the sides of each of the candles so the melting wax could drain freely, spilling forth and cooling into trailing drips that made the previously perfect candles flawed... in a perfect way. They looked better now: more real, less 'perfect', and glowing brightly with strong azure flames no longer threatened. Maka smiled as the room grew brighter with the strengthening light, pushing the encroaching darkness back._

_The candles on their stands were arranged around a piano that sat empty, and as the black faded some, she got a better view of her surroundings. The floor was tiled in black and red, and large curtains were on every wall. She turned around and froze in place, breathing hitching. The floor in front of her dropped off and lead out into... seats. Filled seats. Indistinct, shadowy faces looked on through glowing coal-like eyes, each figure sporting a vicious grin with teeth even sharper and more menacing than Soul's, fangs gleaming in the candlelight. All of them were dressed formally; the feminine ones had on ball gowns, those with bare shoulders having something that looked like but probably wasn't a scarf to cover them; hair up in buns or other elegant styles. All the masculine forms wore tuxedos with a withered rose to accessorize._

_Theirs was the predatory hunger that she felt but wasn't aimed at her. Maka scowled out at the waiting crowd, looking around until she spotted what she wanted. The..._ _**things** _ _rustled in their seats as she wrestled with the ties that held back more heavy drapery, until the gold rope gave way under her determination and the dark cloth swung shut, immediately cutting off the oppressive feel and rustling as if that entire half of the room had never existed at all. When she put out her hand and pulled the curtain away, all she saw was solid stone behind it, and she let it drop back with a smile._

_"Maka?"_

_She turned around, both surprised and yet not, to see Soul staring at her in confusion. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, "Hi..."_

_"What are you... how did you do that? How did you... are they gone?"_

_She nodded shyly, pulling back the curtain again to show the solid wall behind it, "They're gone."_

_Soul stepped forward and touched the stone disbelievingly, "How...?" She squeaked in surprise as he turned, grabbed her around the waist, and picked her up, spinning her around, "Maka, you're a genius!"_

_He set her down with a grin and she immediately took a step back, her cheeks warming with that fuzzy feeling that meant she was blushing, "I-I... it was nothing..."_

_The room had lost its empty, echoing, haunted feeling. The curtains closing them into a private cocoon lit by the merrily burning blue fire of the black candles made what had been an enormous auditorium into a small, intimate rehearsal room. The nervous, fidgety energy was gone; the sinking, devouring black had been traded for the soft, midnight darkness she knew._

_Soul beamed at her, looking completely at ease in his black suit, his red shirt beneath the jacket seeming so natural for him. He held out his hand, "It wasn't nothing to me. C'mere, I want to show you something." Maka hesitated for only a moment before slipping her hand into his, gasping and almost pulling away, except her fingers tightened before she could. Her gloves were gone, and she could_ _**feel** _ _him. "Maka? You alright?"_

_Soul almost pulled away, too, but she didn't let him, holding him fast, her smile trembling just slightly as she held back the moisture she felt sheening her eyes. Her voice was soft in the insulated place they shared, "It's not nothing to me..."_

_Sharp teeth peeked out at her as he led her over to the piano and lifted the lid to reveal the keys, his hand slipping from hers to touch the ivory without pressing. He stared at it intensely, almost... hesitantly._

_Maka leaned forward into his viewspace, "Do you play?"_

_She didn't imagine his hands shaking on the keys, "I... yeah. Not... It's nothing-"_

_"Play anyway." He looked at her like she'd lost her mind, she just smiled at him, "I don't know how to play any instrument at all. I can't make music at all. So please... play for me."_

_"I'm not very good."_

_Maka's expression turned into a frown, "Stop that. Stop qualifying yourself, stop lowering expectations by belittling yourself. Let your music speak for itself. There is no 'good' or 'bad' in music, there's only those it resonates with, and those it doesn't. Music's the same as people like that. So stop procrastinating and qualifying and just... play. Play for me, Soul."_

_The white haired boy took a sharp breath at her words and let it out slowly, "Okay... Okay." Then he slowly started grinning and sat down on the bench as Maka leaned her hip against the piano, and put his fingers to the keys-_

* * *

Maka buried her face deeper into the warmth under her cheek, pleased with the spicy scent that mixed with crushed grass and morning mist so well. She froze into utter immobility at the warmth that surrounded her shoulders as well. Verdant green eyes cracked open. Blue. Her entire vision was blue that reminded her of flickering flames and black wax.  _Soul..._

Maka carefully sat up, Soul's arm falling away from her body. He didn't struggle, or pull her closer: didn't try to trap her to himself. He just grumbled sleepily as her warmth disappeared and turned on his side, curling his body as close to hers as he could: following her. Maka held her breath, the feeling of such simple actions echoing something so much bigger deep within her. She softly breathed out as the gray of pre-dawn began to lighten to morning-amber, mist rising off the lake catching and holding it.

She felt her world shifting again as the sun peeked out over the trees, turning the lake into a shining pool of light, the mist glowing golden in the minutes before it'd be burned away. She looked over and down at her partner, her body angled just enough to protect Soul's eyes from the rising sun with her shadow as it turned his tanned skin bronze and made his white hair glow.

These images, this feeling... She'd never forget them. Like an extension of the night before: a single moment of silent perfection. Then Soul grumbled again about her missing warmth, cuddling closer to her before one scarlet eye opened and peered up at her haloed by the morning light. Maka didn't even realize the gentle, calm expression she'd had on until Soul smiled back at her and sat up with a yawn, not bothering to even sit all the way upright: leaning over and plopping his head on her shoulder instead. He trusted her not to just jerk back and leave him to hit the ground.

Maka looked back out over the water and breathed in the scent of the fading mist, the grass they'd crushed moving about in sleep through the night, and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, it was with a different outlook, "I think... I think Ragnarok was right. The world is an awful place: vicious, cruel, full of people who don't care. There's so much darkness in the hearts of man." Soul hummed, acknowledging her, and she felt a flash of gratitude that he didn't argue or try to change her opinion, didn't try to force her to have a brighter, happy view of the world they'd both seen so much of the worst of. She smiled at him, "But I also think... he was wrong, too. The world  _is_  cruel, and savage, and dangerous, and full of the worst kind of people. But it's also... It's also beautiful. It's beautiful and breathtaking and there's so  _much_  to it out there, more than just those worst parts. There's good parts, too. There's gentleness, kindness, fragility. And there are good people, too. For all the evil the human heart is capable of, it's also capable of so much hope and warmth."

"The world sucks. It also doesn't suck. What makes the difference?"

Maka didn't look away from Soul's eyes, "I think... it's the people. The bad ones have to be endured, ignored. And the good ones have to be... held close, not let go."

Soul grinned, "In that case, I vote we go back sleep."

Maka laid back on the grass with Soul, curling so they both faced each other and shielded one another from the light. Soul held out his free hand, and she entwined it with one of her still-ungloved ones, and held on.

242424


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pleading Life. I got sick as a dog the last time I updated- literally THE DAY I updated, then Dad went into the hospital, came out of the hospital, almost went back into it because he came out too soon... And despite all that I STILL managed to get three chapters written! Unfortunately, none of those next chapters were THE next chapter...
> 
> Thank you everyone who's stuck with this for the year since it started, and to those who just found it recently- and everyone in-between. Sorry for being late this week, too, but again, Dad, plus my people bunnies were unable to come through for me due to reasons.(And maybe possibly just a little bit because I got a little distracted trying my hand at writing Attack on Titan Riren smut...)
> 
> So, anyone who doesn't mind spoiling themself for the next two-three chapters, PM me and I'll tell you my basic ideas for those and you'll get much love and praise and mentions for making the next chapters happen, because I am very much stuck at the moment.
> 
> Aaand, finally, the return of Author Questions: Who believes they've figured out the dreams and what do you think they mean?

Maka was in that place between waking and dreams. He face was shielded by her hair, her nose buried in Soul's shirt, his arm a band of warmth across her shoulders.  _If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got._

The morning felt foggy and unreal. Her scarred fingers tightened in the blue material. She remembered her life so well, telling her that all of this was wrong. Mizune's sharp fingers poking at her and forcing her head up, telling her how hideous she was. An insidious voice telling her how terrible the world was, that only at home was she cared for at all; her only friend, given anything: food, clothing. That had worked, for over a decade, she'd done as told.

Now she was set adrift, a sea of new faces, learning about them even as they failed to realize she was there. She was making friends that didn't fit into the definition she'd learned. Friends that didn't think she was ugly or too broken. Soul didn't just see her, he  _understood_. He looked at her and didn't flinch- even Ragnarok had flinched. It all felt unreal. But if it was, it was the best dream she had ever had, and she didn't want to wake up from this.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against Soul's shirt, hearing his heartbeat, feeling it against her skin, leading hers in beating calmly.

_"We're alive."_

Was she really? All that time, all that pain; had she really survived it all? She wanted that to be true. She wanted to put her old life behind her and embrace this new one she was building. She let out a breath as the hand she didn't have clenched in Soul's shirt was held tighter. Maka hid a smile, knowing from the soul wavelength of the boy below her that he was sleeping soundly, and still he tried to comfort her.

Maka would do her best to be part of this world, to push the past where it belonged. She was adrift from what she'd known, but she wasn't alone anymore. She was on unfamiliar ground, so she'd just forge her own path. It didn't have to match anyone else's, didn't have to hold any resemblance to anything she'd seen before.

The next instant, she was upright and falling into battle position as her eardrums were assaulted. Soul shot up and flailed around, blinking in confusion. They both stared at each other for a moment, screeching still going loud, before they realized it was coming from their pins. Maka slapped hers, more to muffle the sound than anything, and was pleasantly surprised when it cut off entirely. Soul was much less graceful with his, feeling across his shirt collar until he realized he'd pinned it to the waist of his pants after he'd gotten his shower the day before. He smacked it, scowling as it shut up, and ran a hand through his hair, pulling his new headband off.

He finger-combed his hair in what might have been an effort to fix it but only managed to set it back into its usual spiky messiness, then put his head band back on, yawning. "That definitely wins my vote for worst wake-up call  _ever_. Shit, don't let us get lost: I'd go insane listening to that for minutes or hours until someone found us."

Heart finally settling and no longer trying to beat itself out of her chest, Maka nodded, sitting back on the ground with a huff. In a rare show of rebelliousness, she didn't feel like setting out for the camp just at the moment after that completely unnecessary wake-up. She raised her hand to push back her own hair and made a grimace of distaste as she saw the ashy locks all clumped together with small twigs and blades of grass caught in it. It must look like a bird's nest.

Well, there went the  _rest_  of her morning. It was going to take forever to fix that. It was usually bad enough with tossing and turning from nightmares, but after laying on the ground and then snuggling her face into Soul's shirt it had only gotten worse.

They both looked over when the rustle of grass and brush alerted them to someone approaching. Lady Medusa showed herself, eyes trained forward as though she knew exactly where they were even though they'd been hidden from view by the trees between their position and the camp. Soul stood up with a groan, but when Maka made to do the same, Lady Medusa stopped her with a hand motion, "Good morning, you two. Soul, you should hurry if you want to get breakfast, Blackstar was already awake when I came to get you." He stepped forward but stopped with a jerk, looking between the two blondes. The nurse smiled, "We'll be along in a moment, I just need a word with Maka."

The younger blonde nodded, "Go on. I'll catch up." Soul nodded back solemnly and headed off for the camp.

Medusa waited until he'd gone before looking at Maka's hair and making a face so similar to the one she had that it made the green-eyed teen smile. Medusa sat beside her on the ground, not caring about her own clothes in the least, "Dear spirits, you hair looks like mine does in the morning. Do you have your hair brush?" She shook her head and the golden-blonde looked around, picking up a near-by stick and transmuting it into a brush with a muttered spell. Maka went rigid at the open display of magic, but didn't bolt. "May I help with your hair?"

Maka wanted to say no, that she didn't trust other people -adults especially- not to hurt her. But that would be a kind of lie, because she  _did_  rather trust Lady Medusa- to an extent. And saying no to adults had never really worked out in the first place: they just did what they wanted anyway and then punished her for disagreeing. "Okay."

Her shoulders were hunched and she waited for the pain to begin. Mizune had had no issue with ripping the brush through her hair in an effort to tame her limp stands into something resembling a style. Lady Medusa did nothing of the sort. She started very carefully, at the ends of Maka's hair, and worked her way inward with quick, short strokes. There was no sudden ripping, no punishing hits with the hard brush when Maka yelped in pain and jumped, because Maka  _didn't_  yelp or jump. Medusa gripped her hair tightly above a knot so she could work at it hard and still not tug at Maka's scalp.

After just a few minutes, Maka relaxed back into the curve of the older woman's body. Lady Medusa was so gentle it didn't even feel like her hair was being brushed, more like petted.

"Maka?"

"Hmm?" Having her hair brushed like that actually felt good, and she leaned into the touch.

"Were you alright last night? I noticed you weren't very interested in the storytelling."

"I'm fine."

"But are you alright?"

"I-" she hesitated. Because Lady Medusa just  _knew_. But after all the excitement yesterday and last night... she looked down at her hands, held her right one up to feel the warmth of the sun, watched -for the first time without bitterness or anxiety- the play of the light on the dark and light lines covering her skin, and smiled, "Yes, I am now."

"Good, I'm glad."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Maka worked up her courage to ask: "Lady Medusa?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you helping me?"

"With your hair?"

"With everything."

"Everything, hmm? Well, with your hair, it's because I know just how much of a hassle it can be, especially with mine styled the way it is, and my best friend's used to be bad on occasion, too, and she helped me. I help you because you need help and I can give it."

"So... you do it because it's the right thing to do?"

"Partly."

"...Lady Medusa?"

"Hmm?"

"How do you know if something's the right thing to do before you do it?"

"I asked a similar question once, the answer I got wasn't very enlightening to me. I was told to look at my life through heaven's eyes." Maka gave her a look and she laughed, "I told you. I think I've figured out what they meant, though. You have to look at your life and decisions from an outside perspective. Make the choices that you'll look back on and be proud you made, no matter how hard they are. Make the decisions that you'll regret the least. I guess... just follow your heart, it knows the way."

Maka's hand strayed to her chest, "Follow my heart..."

Lady Medusa hummed behind her, running the brush through her tangle-free locks, ashy strands falling in the slightly wavy way they always got after being brushed from always being in ponytails. She had no bands for her hair, either; all of that stuff back at camp in her bag. The Witch had no problem with that, either, further spelling two leaves into shining hair bands that sparkled in the light. Maka focused on keeping her breathing even towards the display of magic, and so was able to hold back the admiring gasp of how pretty the bands were. Medusa held one with her teeth as she set the brush aside and ran her hands through Maka's hair, parting it and playing with it until it was split evenly and she could bind it into tails.

Maka let her mind wander as she was petted. Lady Medusa must have really liked playing with hair.  _Look at my life from the outside..._  What parts did she look at? The lives she took? The ones she saved? The kishin she killed? The ones she devoured? The times she listened, or the ones she was disobedient? Did one side outweigh the other? Was she more good or bad?

She shook her head, freezing in place as she pulled her hair out of the older woman's grasp and waiting to be reprimanded for it. Lady Medusa just sighed at her and started playing with it again. She wondered if she'd ever understand the Witch. She still vividly recalled the time she'd screamed at Mizune for pulling pitilessly at her hair; the woman hadn't hesitated to strike her full across the face with the bristle side of the brush. It was by sheer luck her cheek hadn't been permanently scarred.

Maka blew at her bangs in frustration at her own thoughts, she was leaving her past behind her. The parts that really mattered were the choices she made from here on out. But still, what should those choices be?  _If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got._  So what she really needed to do was figure out which choices had gotten reactions she didn't mind, and which ones she didn't want to repeat.

Sticking up for her brother would always be on the good side. Reaching out had found her Soul and the Thompsons, so that was a good thing. Of course, standing up for Soul had also gotten her Donna and the raven's allies as enemies, but she didn't think she regretted it. That was it. Maka didn't know if she was  _proud_  of what she'd done, but Soul thanking her that day had made her feel warm, and she  _would_  have regretted not standing up for him. That was a right thing, she just knew it.

She saw the hand out of the side of her vision and flinched, but Lady Medusa didn't stop or hesitate, just continued, if slower, and ran her fingers through Maka's bangs to corral them back with the rest of her hair and finally wrangled the flyaway strands into two perfectly even ponytails.

The golden-blonde stood up gracefully and held out her hand to help Maka up. Hesitating just a little, she slipped her hand into the elder's, surprised at how cool Lady Medusa's skin was. Her look must have been seen because the woman in question smiled, "Snake Witch, remember? We better get going if we plan to eat before everything's gone." She pulled away and Maka cautiously began following her, stopping in place when Medusa jolted and turned around, reaching out with the hairbrush.

Maka didn't think, she reacted. He whole body tensed as she waited for the blow, air caught in her lungs. Medusa looked like she was the one who'd been hit, arm falling limp at her side. Maka immediately tried to fix the mistake she could see that she'd made, stepping forward, "I'm sorry-"

"No. No, it's... my fault. Please... forgive me, Maka. I was just- I have several hairbrushes and thought... No, I  _didn't_  think, did I?" she looked like she'd bitten into a bitter fruit.

She could feel it in the weight of the air around them in that instant. This was another choice Maka could make. She could let Lady Medusa walk away, believing that she'd done something wrong- and always be treated like a frail little rabbit afraid of any movement.

She  _was_  afraid. Adults didn't just reach for her and not hurt her. But Lady Medusa did. And if she flinched away, the older woman probably wouldn't ever do it again. Which choice was the wrong one? Which was the turnout she wanted to avoid happening again?

_If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got._

Which one was what she'd done before, which was the new path, which was  _right_?  _Follow your heart._

Maka shot forward and grabbed the older blonde's hand, "Lady Medusa, would... would you like to have breakfast with me?"

Medusa looked completely surprised... and happy. She held up Maka's hand and slipped the brush into it, "Of course, Maka. Here, I was trying to say: I have plenty of hairbrushes back home, I lose them constantly and find them when I least expect it. You and Crona only have the one between you, don't you? It's about time I fixed that."

It was the first present a grown-up had ever given her. There were the things she and Crona had been given when they first moved in, but they had both looked at that as part of the bargain of learning at the DWMA. This was a  _gift_. The brush was beautiful: all dark wood with silver snake inlays, and it was the first hairbrush that had been used to help her instead of hurt her. It was a memory of the woman in front of her running the bristles soothingly through her hair, without ever pulling even once. Maka's fingers closed over the handle as she felt warmth invade her chest, and smiled up at Medusa, "Thank you..."

The nurse seemed to understand the deeper meaning behind her words and smiled back, reaching up slowly to trail her fingers through one of Maka's ponytails before tugging gently at it, "Any time, Maka. Now come on, to breakfast with us."

She stayed close to the elder woman when they made it back to camp and stepped into the middle of sheer chaos. Something was on fire- something that was on  _someone_ , and there was running around with buckets of water and blankets and jackets to try and douse or smother the flame, Soul was bodily wrestling Blackstar to the ground over choice of meat so he wouldn't get stuck with eating fish, and Kid was in tears on the ground because the perfect symmetry he'd established in the clearing was completely and utterly ruined.

Medusa sweatdropped beside her and sighed, "Just another day in paradise..."

Maka couldn't help it: she burst out giggling, covering her mouth with both hands to muffle the sound.

Sid finally tackled the poor flaming student to the ground and covered them with a blanket, just in time to get doused with buckets of water from three different directions. Nygus howled with laughter at her brother while Liz beat some sense into Kid and Soul put his foot in the middle of Blackstar's back just as Tsubaki tried to break up the fight, landing the blue-haired boy in her cleavage.

Medusa huffed and led her away to an empty log, rummaging through their supplies until she came up with some of the stew they'd made last night and stored away. Maka had no issue with the fish stew Soul was fighting to not have to resort to. She watched the excitement going on around them as she dug in.

Blackstar was on the ground, face red from both his full-body blush and the instinctive slap Tsubaki had given him. Kid had gotten up and was already going into a cleaning flurry while Liz sighed, gave up on him, and flopped back on the ground. Patty took that as an invitation to try and bury her sister alive with grass and soil she pulled up where she sat beside her. Soul crowed his victory at having won the right of finishing off the last of the quail one of the others had hunted the day before, grinning over at Maka and his soul wavelength giving off very self-satisfied pings that made her giggle again.

The golden-blonde smiled over at her, "Would you like to go join them?"

Maka looked over at her, then back to the controlled catastrophe around them. Nygus pulled Sid up and brushed off the panicking, once-flaming student, telling him to walk it off and that it had only been his clothing and not his body that had caught fire. Kid walked by with a log that looked too big for him to carry and told Patty to be sure she plucked the same amount of grass from the other side of the clearing when she was done playing with Liz, who groaned loudly. Ragnarok, somehow managing to sleep through all the aggravating wake-up screeches, finally emerged from his tent, ready to shout at all the racket, only to visibly rein himself in when Crona immediately glued himself to his side.

The ash-blonde teen looked back over at Medusa and shook her head, "No, I'm good here." Yes, right here where she could watch over them all, this was the right choice.

252525

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my beloved people-bunnies that decided to beta this chapter for me commented on something that was significant enough for this end note. Here's that conversation:
> 
> A: You should explain how the fire started. O.O
> 
> C: I imagine it as having something to do with Blackstar-- as all trouble ultimately does.
> 
> A: Hehe
> 
> A: I'm trying to think of all the stupid ways BlackStar could start a fire now
> 
> C: From possibly trying to cook something over the camp fire and getting distracted and then waving said flaming stick of death around, to knocking over the thing cooking and sending embers into the air...
> 
> A: XD
> 
>  
> 
> So after being unable to pick one, I've decided I'll just leave it up to you readers.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everybody thank Shad0wKat for this and the next chapter for PMing me and helping me hash out all the big events there-of. A little short this week. I couldn't get into the writer mood needed for this chapter, so I wrote up DeathStar, then when that didn't work completely, I wound up also writing a new SoMa One Shot. So if you're craving more after this, feel free to check that out. (Also short because I wanted to freaking end on a significantly lighter note for the first time in forever with all the recently emotionally heavy chapters. It kinda makes me twitch, but my birthday is monday and I'm giving myself the gift of not freaking out about it.)
> 
> To the one reviewer who asked after my dad: Thank you very much for caring. We're still not sure, but watching him closely.

262626

_"That's what I like about you, Apple-eater."_

_Maka looked up at the taller blonde as she sat down beside her, "What?"_

_"You get it."_

_"Get... what?"_

_Liz looked away, to the alley behind them where Crona and Patty were playing, "You get... family. Saw what you did with your food there earlier. Made sure Crona had enough even if you didn't."_

_"Of course I did, he's my-"_

_"Brother. Exactly. THAT'S what you get. We older siblings have to watch out for our younger ones, no matter what."_

_Maka watched Patty pulling her brother out of his shell for a game of tag, and felt her lips stretch in one of her so-rare smiles, "Yeah, I get that."_

* * *

Green eyes stared at the murky water, apprehension rolling through her veins.  _Dark water..._

The water held so many memories for her. It had been years since she'd learned to swim- since she'd pain-stakingly taught herself to swim. Years since she'd snuck away in the middle of the night to the river and edged herself, trembling and cold, into the frigid rapids night after night. Years since she'd subjected herself to the terror of being dragged under the current never to be found, to leave Crona with no idea what had befallen her. It had been years.

And yet, one look into the dark waters of the lake, and Maka could feel the dread seeping slowly through her body, the heavy weight of anxiety in her limbs. Fear was a full-body sensation, starting as a cold weight in her stomach and spreading out from there: a shiver-inducing tendril twining up her spine and wrapped around her throat that made it hard to swallow.

A warm hand on her shoulder brought her mind from the depths of the lake in front of her, red eyes reflected back at her from the surface, "Hey, you okay?"

Maka shook off the foreboding feelings and turned to Soul, "Yes, I'm fine."

"Come on, then. Or we'll be late."

She took one last deep breath and straightened up. It didn't matter if anything went wrong, she'd be there to make sure it went right again. Maka turned to her partner, smiling confidently and nodding in determination, "Okay, then. Let's go."

Soul gave her a searching look, then smirked back, "Cool."

They weren't late, the teachers were still herding some of the more reluctant students from their breakfasts. Maka saw Crona chatting with Patty and looked around for his tall partner. Ragnarok looked like he was bored as he leaned back against a tree on the other side of the area and Maka started toward him, casting a reassuring smile back at Soul when his hand reached out to grasp her wrist. He nodded and let her go, keeping one eye on her and the other on her brother for her.

A silver eye opened to assess her as she moved beside him. Ragnarok didn't push her for an answer even though he was obviously curious, they'd come to an understanding and he'd respect her silence. Maka wasn't even certain she was going to say anything until that swamping sensation pushed itself to the top of her thoughts like a foul bubble and she found her mouth opening before she could stop it, "Stay close to Crona."

The taller scarred teen didn't smirk like she half expected, just raised a dark brow, "We're about to spend the next two hours cramped into a six-foot long boat with no one but each other, I don't think closeness is going to be an issue." His lips twitched in a way that suggested he wanted to smirk, or laugh, and invited her to join.

Maka wasn't placated, fearlessly stepping into his space and staring up at him, "No, you don't understand.  _Don't leave him._  Not for a moment."

The Second Level straightened from his slump against the tree, "What, precisely, are you warning me about?"

She looked away at that, out over the lake. Memories threatened to overwhelm her until she forced them back, "Dark water holds many unseen dangers." she glanced back at him for only a moment, "Don't let him face them alone." then she turned and walked away.

Ragnarok watched after her as she left.

* * *

Everyone gathered around as the adults herded them together next to the lake, wondering at all the water accessories near the shore. Medusa clapped her hands to bring their attention to her, "Okay, now that everyone's here, we're starting the second half of our trip's objectives: putting to the test the bond you've formed with you partner all yesterday long. First thing we're doing: canoeing!" there was some cheering and the golden blonde smiled before motioning them to calm, "To save time, we'll skip most of the annoying safety talks. But make no mistake: we're not trusting your judgment so much as testing you on it. Anyone seen acting too rash or not showing the proper sense in a potentially dangerous situation will be pulled out and made to sit on the shore while the others continue."

There was some grumbling and shifting amid the students, and a few cries of pain from partners not afraid to try and thump some last minute sense into their counterparts' heads. Tsubaki smiled nervously as Blackstar crowed how great this was going to be. She was too busy worrying to really join in. What if she accidentally did something wrong and got them pulled? Blackstar was so excited about this, maybe he wouldn't want to be her friend anymore if that happened! Liz caught her eye and held a hand to her chest, making deep breathing motions. Tsubaki nodded thanks, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply to calm down.

Her chest felt warm and full. Even after the way Liz had been sort of avoiding her since the other day, she was trying to help her calm down when she began to panic. With her eyes closed and her heart pounding in her ears, it was hard to hear everyone else around her, and she could almost feel Liz's hands on her shoulders, telling her to calm down and focus solely on her breathing until the panic receded.

Her heartbeat steadied and she opened her eyes with a smile, determined to do her very best. Blackstar jumped up next to her, "Are you ready for this? We're gonna  _rock_!"

She nodded, her ponytail flying behind her, "Hai! Let's do our best!"

Her attention went back to Nurse Medusa as she continued speaking: "The goal here is to get from one side of the lake to the other, manage to turn yourself around, and then come back. We're grading you on your speed and synchronicity. Only the ones that pay attention to their partner's bodies and souls will be able to make it. We'll work in batches: two at a time, one of us to assess each boat and one to keep an eye on the rest of you.

"You'll have to learn as you go: this is an assessment of all your skills, so without further ado, everyone into the boats."

Blackstar jumped up and ran to one of the boats, trying and failing to pull it to the water's edge by himself. Nygus crossed her arms and tilted her head, the bandages covering her mouth moving in a way that suggested an amused smirk, "Lesson Number One: Partners do everything better together."

Tsubaki shook her head and moved to help Blackstar, a moment's fumbling showing that it was easier to carry the canoe upside-down. There was a few moments of confusion and shuffling as so many bodies worked around each other together to get their own canoes, then a single moment of silence before everyone realized that they'd basically been given carte blanch to do what they wanted in the water. Tsubaki laughed as everyone around them rushed into the water, much splashing and chaos ensuing as everyone figured out how to get their boats settled and get into them. Kid squawked as he tripped on the front end of his holding, sending him face-first into the water and sending his and his partner's boat out into the lake, upside-down, with neither of them in it.

Nurse Medusa sighed and muttered a small spell to bring it back for them. Tsubaki laughed, surprised when she heard another melodic voice and looked back to see Maka also giggling into her gloved hand. The ash-blonde caught sight of her and smiled before looking away. The Japanese student felt some of her tension melt away. Even if they were being graded on this, it was still a chance to just let go and have fun.

Tsubaki and Blackstar managed to get their own boat in the water without issue, and she went back for the oars, almost tripping with the unwieldy things sticking out at strange angles in her arms, but couldn't help smiling over it, catching another student having the same trouble. Maka and Soul were both carrying their own over their shoulder, which looked easier- until Soul turned around and almost hit Maka with his oar if she hadn't ducked at that moment. Tsubaki thought of her own partner and sweatdropped: Blackstar was going to end up using his oar to sword-fight someone, wasn't he? She huffed out a laugh and let it go, finally navigating back to her partner and putting her load down.

She stood up at the worst time, someone else's oar hitting her squarely between the shoulder blades and sending her tumbling forward. "Tsubaki!" She groaned as she hit- not the ground? Dark eyes blinked open to see her partner had caught her, "Got'cha! Nothing gets the partner of the great Blackstar while he's around!"

Yes... While she was grateful he'd saved her from a tumble into their craft and a potentially nasty knock to the head... "Um, Blackstar, could you let go of my- o-of me... now?"

His bright green orbs blinked down at her in confusion, until he realized he'd grabbed her right across the chest... and still held her boob. He pulled back so fast Tsubaki was left windmilling her arms to keep from falling down again, his whole face flushing, "Right! Sorry... Don't hit me again..."

She blushed, too, embarrassed to be reminded over her violent reaction at breakfast, but there was a significant difference between (sort of) saving her and accidentally groping her, and being shoved with his entire face in her cleavage... She coughed, "Um, no, that's... well, I guess it's not really alright, but you couldn't really control it... A-anyway! Shall we... launch?"

"YES! Into the wilderness! The great adventure of the high seas!"

"...But... it's a lake."

Blackstar looked back at her and pouted, "C'mon, Tsubaki, don't be a spoil sport. This is FUN!"

"O-okay. So, er, as the... the captain of this vessel, what are you naming it?"

"Hmm..."  _Uh-oh._  Tsubaki got the feeling she really shouldn't have done that... "I shall call it...  _The Death-Piercing Great Star!_ "

Well, it wasn't quite as bad as what she'd feared... She managed to hide her wince admirably. "Very... unique."

Blackstar beamed at her.

The got their canoe further from the shore and climbed in, trying to figure out how to work the oars in order to move it. It took several minutes of experimentation and directionless drifting before they got the hang of it: one of them rowing on the left side while the other did the right side at the same time, then alternating so they didn't spin in place. Tsubaki was left huffing at trying to keep up with her partner's pace, and their boat wobbled more to one side or the other when she couldn't quite manage to keep up with his enthusiasm. They weren't the best, but they were certainly doing better than some of the others...

Kid was fighting with his partner,  _demanding_  they both sit side-by-side so they were symmetrical and could row at the same time. They looked like they were doing more arguing than rowing, honestly... and shouts from the white haired boy frequently had 'fool!' echoing across the lake.

Liz's partner wanted them to both row one side together, then the other, and that boat was wobbling back and forth through the lake like a drunk water-skater bug.

Patty was having a wonderful time: rowing hard and fast... and on only one side. Her partner, that boy who'd bothered them in the cafeteria, Hiro, had lost his paddle, clung hard over the side of the boat, and shouted, "I'm going to be siiiiiick!" over Patty's demented laughing as they spun in circles on the water...

Tsubaki panted for breath watching all of them, and sweatdropped as she tried to keep up with Blackstar. Maybe she really had been lucky getting him as her partner... She felt that determination again and vowed to try harder to keep up with him.

262626


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I'd give a the whole explanation here, but I've been up for over a day now and just do not have the energy to do so.
> 
> I've written over twenty-thousand words in the last week, including two new, complete (so you don't have to wait for updates) fics. SoMa with KidStar, called Lonely Eyes and A Little Risk. So if you feel like reading more, you might want to check those out. They also have the longer explanation because I was more awake when I wrote them.
> 
> To the ones coming in or back from A Little Risk: Er, make that this week, after all.

272727

"Maka, are you alright?"

The ash-blonde startled and looked over at her partner, "Hmm? Yes, I'm fine. ...Why do you ask?"

"Because you look tense enough to tear something. And... I can feel it." Maka flinched as though touched by a high voltage line, focusing inward and trying to close off her soul. Soul grimaced, "Whatever you're doing, stop it. It feels weird. It's like a phantom limb just went numb."

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't ask you to apologize, and I didn't ask you to do that cut-off thing. I asked what was wrong. ...Okay, not those exact words, but you lied anyway."

Maka glanced over her shoulder, "Look behind me. Can you feel it?"

Soul looked, then shuddered, "Hell, is that what you feel? That... slimy crawling feeling?"

She nodded, "Malice. Something is going to happen. I can feel it in the air."

* * *

"En garde!" Blackstar grinned hugely and lashed out with his weapon. His opponent ducked under, laughing tauntingly in the face of his skills before striking themself. He turned, expertly keeping his balance to not over-turn the boat, avoiding the dangerous edge.

He had to bend back precariously when the thrust turned into a sweep in an attempt to catch him off-guard, Tsubaki grabbing him by the hem of his shirt, "Blackstar!"

Patty made a new strike, crying her victory, "HI-YAA!"

"Whoa!" Blackstar fell back, nearly crushing his partner, oar flying from his hand as their boat rocked dangerously. He sat up and crawled forward, reaching far out over the side of the canoe, Tsubaki grabbing the back of his outfit to keep him from going face-first into the water as he stretched for his paddle. He grabbed it and jumped up again, smiling at the younger Thompson, "Good one! Rematch!"

Patty held her oar up in both hands -with completely incorrect form- and jumped up and down in a way that had her partner clinging to the side of their boat again, face a unique shade of green, "Yeah! Come on, come on!"

Tsubaki and Hiro shared mutual expressions of despair, all previous grievances forgotten in the wake of dealing with their partners. They were waiting for their turn to cross the lake and had just wound up congregating together. One thing had quickly led to another, and now Blackstar and Patty were having a series of paddle-battles. The blond and raven sighed at the same time. At least sword-fighting was better than the jousting their partners had originally had in mind...

"Hah! What  _losers_."

Tsubaki flinched, looking cautiously behind her. It was the dark-haired girl, Donna, that Maka had fought. Blackstar and Patty didn't seem to hear, thankfully. Hiro shared a look with her. He might not have been fond of Patty's enthusiasm in her pursuit for entertainment, he'd been just as appalled as anyone else when Donna had tried to attack Maka when her back was turned. He scoffed and turned his head away, "Yes, well, some would certainly know more about being a  _loser_  than others, wouldn't they?"

The short-haired raven's jaw tightened, but she didn't act as if she'd even heard the barb, "And then of course there are the spineless and pathetic who run all the way to other  _countries_  to avoid their issues."

Tsubaki stared down at the bottom of the boat, silent. That girl didn't know anything. She hadn't run away. She hadn't! It was the leaving that had  _caused_  the problem, that had- no, Tsubaki wasn't going to think about that. Her fingers curled on her knees, recalling that letter she'd held in her hands, saying she was-

"You're wrong..."

"Can't stand up for themselves, give in to the first person they see."

Tsubaki flinched, shoulders hunching more. Because wasn't that exactly what she'd done? Liz gave her a kind word and she clung to the other girl. Blackstar asked her to be his partner and she accepted without even thinking about it. Even back home, the moment she'd been asked-

"Please stop..."

"I mean, who would want to be around such a pathetic little worm? Only those who are already outcasts and can't score company any other way."

The Japanese girl's hands spasmed as she tried to suppress her emotions.  _'I don't need you anymore. I can't afford to wait years for a plain girl to gain control of herself. You're a danger to everyone.'_  Tsubaki trembled, tears dotting the back of her hands.

"Hey, you, put up or shut up!"

"What?"

" _No one_  makes fun of  _my_  partner!"

Tsubaki gasped, her head snapping up to see Blackstar standing between her and the other canoe. Patty held her oar out at them, "Yeah, yeah, bullies! Sticks and stones hurt more than words so shut up before we beat you!"

Hiro held a hand to his face, "That is not how that saying goes... but I can't argue with the sentiment at least."

Tsubaki stared at them through the blurriness, wiping at her eyes as she shook. They were... they were protecting her.

Blackstar held out his hand, a subtle glow showing his preparation for Manifesting, "You want to go, I'm game."

Donna sniffed disdainfully, turning her nose up, "I have no interest in scuffling with heathens."

"Yeah, 'cause you know we'd whoop your ass. Outmatched, and outnumbered, you just don't want to admit who the losers  _really_  are. Pussies."

An ice-blue eye opened, "I didn't say I wasn't up to a competition. It's always satisfying to show the lower-class exactly where they are on the ladder."

"Oh that  _does_  it. Name your game! I can beat you in anything!"

Tsubaki tugged at his pants leg, "Blackstar..."

Instead of taking her warning for what it was, he grinned down and back at her, then smirked at Donna, "Tsubaki and I can take anything."

There was a moment of quiet discussion in the other boat, then she sneered back at them, "Fine, then. We'll race. First ones across the lake and back win."

Tsubaki bit her lip as she looked out across the water, "I don't know. We'll get in trouble with the chaperones if we go before they call us..."

"Ha! So you're backing out because you're afraid. Sounds like someone who knows they've already lost and are just trying to back out."

Blackstar almost capsized the canoe with how hard he put his foot down on the side, "Oh,  _hell no!_  You. Are. ON! We're not gonna lose to you: Tsubaki and I are  _way_  too awesome!"

"Fine, then."

Tsubaki couldn't back out and leave Blackstar when he'd put himself out there just to defend her. What kind of friend would that make her? As much as it made her uncomfortable, some things had to be more important than the rules. She took a shuddering breath, grabbing her paddle, and helped her partner get them turned about the right way, pulling up next to Donna and Aiden. Tsubaki couldn't look the other raven in the eyes, the sheer superior hatred in the other girl's gaze made her feel naked and flayed.

Patty counted them down and started the race with a startling huge splash from hitting her oar against the water. Tsubaki tried not to focus on anything but the paddle in her hands, eyes glued to Blackstar's back, watching his shoulders and timing her strokes to match his. She didn't really notice it when their breathing synchronized, the rise and fall of her shoulders matching his, their arms working in tandem on opposite sides of their canoe. That was all she focused on.

Stroke-stroke-breath. She didn't glance at Donna, didn't look around for any of the adults, she saw only the next movement she needed to make. Tsubaki let Blackstar set their pace, trusting him to set a speed that would let them win: Blackstar wouldn't do anything else. She clenched her teeth on the burning in her muscles as she pushed them to keep up with her partner. Her lungs ached, breath coming in puffs. Her arms stung, feeling over-hot, but she ignored it and pushed herself harder.

Tsubaki didn't even notice when they turned around and started into the second half of the race, her very being aimed solely on the next motion, the next gasp of air, the next pull of the water against her oar. It was the warning twinge in her left arm, one that she knew meant it was about to cramp and cramp hard, that made her look up. She had only one instant to see the look on Donna's face before their canoe rammed sharply into the back of Tsubaki and Blackstar's.

She jerked forward, shouting in surprise as she was thrown into Blackstar's back, but it was what she saw over his shoulder that sent her heart racing in panic. They were back at the group- they had won- and they couldn't stop as their boat swung to the side from Donna's blow, sending them careening right into the two other canoes that had just gotten back. The solid-yet-hollow sound the wood made as they rammed full into the side of the other boat was felt through her whole body. But it was Liz's scream of absolute terror as she was thrown into the water when her canoe capsized that would haunt Tsubaki's memory for the rest of her life.

* * *

Patty's fearful shout as she called for her sister got everyone's attention: "LIZ! HELP!"

"Liz can't swim." Soul was on his feet and stripping off his jacket and wrestling off his footwear at the first word. He nearly fell when the canoe rocked as Maka dove into the water- fully clothed. He'd have gone in after her if she hadn't sent him a strong 'stay' ping with her soul wavelength. With it came understanding as he looked over and saw Ragnarok getting ready to dive in as well, probably the most qualified close-by being a Second Level, as soon as Crona screamed for his sister.

"Maka!"

Ragnarok had his shirt half-way off when Soul spoke: "Don't."

The taller male gave him a look that could have been interpreted as either incredulous, or, less politely, 'are you stupid?'

"You made a promise, honor it."

"So what do we do, then?"

Soul's crimson gaze settled on the still surface of the water, "We wait."

* * *

Maka remembered hating the water once upon a time. Her parents' special training had been a large part of that. But it was also because she and Crona just didn't have the bodies to ever possibly swim well. They were too lean, too much muscle, no fat. They didn't float, they didn't have the buoyancy.

Maka had fought against that, struggled time and again in running water to teach herself how to swim, for Crona. If her brother ever went under, nothing was going to stop her from rescuing him. So she learned. She learned that because of her body, she sank fast. She learned she  _could_  swim, but that it would always be at great cost. It would always be a struggle to tread water, she'd have to work for every breath.

It had terrified her at first, knowing how easily she could fail, be swept away, die underwater in the darkness. One thing about diving, though, had stuck with Maka no matter what. And the water, deep, dangerous, dark as it was, held a peace she hadn't known before. After the initial rush in her ears, water muffled everything around her. It had muffled her parents' voices, muffled Crona's shouts, left her alone in her own head, the greatest sound that of her own heartbeat.

In those first minutes, before her lungs began screaming for air, before her mind went fuzzy with the need for oxygen, Maka was at peace. The water wasn't so bad after that.

But that was all after they had moved, after Liz and Patty had disappeared. There had been no water still enough to learn to swim back then, none of them had known. Crona still didn't know how, and Maka bet Liz didn't, either. There was no hesitation as she dove, letting the water engulf her, muffling the shocked cries of the panicking students above, muffling Patty's shout for her sister, Crona's shout for her.

The water of the lake was murky, there was no seeing more than a few inches in front of her. Maka closed her eyes and felt out for the sarcastic, protective, comforting presence that Liz represented. Below her and in front, she felt the wavering soul and moved.

Scared, panicked, worried, Liz struggled aimlessly about in the water. Even if she'd had the ability to swim, it was impossible for her to tell which way was up. Maka grabbed a flailing hand and the other girl stilled. Maka couldn't see which way was up, either, but she didn't have to with Soul's fretting in the place beyond the back of her mind. He was like a glowing beacon as she kicked off, Liz doing her best to help.

It was hard, Liz was more buoyant than her, and her every fumbling stroke was still more effective than Maka's experienced ones. Maka's head thumped at the effort and lack of air, her chest ached with the want to breathe, throat clenching on aborted breaths. She ignored it, attention on Soul's worried soul wavelength to distract her body from the discomfort.

They both broke the surface with desperate gasps. Maka coughed even as she struggled to keep them both afloat. Her aim must have been good, though, because within moments, her and Soul's canoe was right there for the two of them to cling to. Liz hacked out the water she'd swallowed. It wasn't but a few minutes before the chaperones had them out of the lake and on shore, then wrapped them in towels and, after determining that neither of them were actually injured, left them to the fussing of their friends.

Tsubaki and Patty were the first to swarm Liz, one spouting apologies and the other seeking reassurances. Crona was soothed by a smile and wave that they could talk about it later. The exercise was essentially over after that. Half the students that were left were too nervous to go, and the other half apparently seemed too likely to repeat the incident that had led to the wreck in the first place.

They all stayed in place as the teachers announced a waiting hour for everybody to calm down while they figured out how to grade everyone in the wake of the fiasco. Blackstar wove his fingers together behind his head and grumbled, "Someone almost died and the teachers are  _still_  worried about grades!"

Maka couldn't help it: she snorted and broke down in giggles. Liz scoffed and shook her head. When the group's talking shifted to a debate on how precisely the teachers would go about comparatively grading drowning versus not canoeing at all, she leaned closer to Maka,"Thanks for the save, Apple-eater."

Maka watched how close Patty stuck to her sister and shrugged, "It's like you said: I understand."

Liz smiled at her and then gave in to Patty's poking and asked about the 'epic oar-fight' she'd had with Blackstar. Maka listened in silence, gaze straying to Donna standing in a knot of students further away, eyes narrowing. The black haired girl shuddered. Maka watched. Watched... and waited.

272727


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I have two secret little cameo lines of dialogue this chapter from two of my favorite movies. Who can find them and guess said movies?

282828

Soul looked out at the trail they had been assigned, over at his partner, then down at the map they'd been given, turning it upside-down in his hands- that was the way it was supposed to go, right? Or was it the other way?

"Do you think we can make it through at least a single task without something going wrong, or would that be asking too much?" He looked up from trying to make sense of the squiggles on the paper and back over at Maka.

She was too busy to notice his navigational issues, fiddling with her and Crona's bag, putting away the last of her now-dry clothing and -probably- counting just how many spare outfits she had left. "Would you like me to lead, or do you want to?"

He raised an eyebrow -that she still couldn't see- and looked down at the squiggles again.  _Suuuure, let the guy who can't even figure out how to hold the map lead us._  He held it out to her, "You lead." Besides, with all the pure outdoors-awesome Maka had shown so far, Soul doubted she'd even need the map to get them to their destination.

* * *

"We're lost, aren't we?"

She held her hands behind her and swayed back and forth on her feet like she was trying to stretch up in order to see something, glanced around at the enshrouding trees again, then dropped back to her heels and spun around to face him with a big smile, "Yup!"

Hiro ran a hand down his face, groaning dramatically as Patty wandered off to check out their surroundings. He could sort of blame her for everything that had happened, but he knew it was all entirely his own fault.

Compass? That was gone: his fault. Map? What in the ever loving  _hell_  had he been thinking handing it to Patty? That was a giraffe and no longer of any use. Also his fault. And he was also the idiot that had let her lead, which meant their being lost was  _also_  his fault. He wondered which would happen first: their pins going off on their own, or him just biting his thumb and rubbing his blood on his pin to call in the teachers.

Hiro spotted a fallen log and went to sit on it, leaning back with a sigh as Patty played around in the bushes. He wove his fingers together behind his head and leaned back to stare up at the amber sky. They had been given until nighttime to get to their destination and back. Almost time, and they hadn't even made it halfway.  _Well, it could always be worse._

In spite of Patty being, well...  _Patty_ , this trip hadn't been as bad as it could have been. Patty didn't treat him like the entire rest of the school did: didn't bully him or pick on him like they did. Didn't call him a coward- never gave him the chance to be. He smirked. Patty never gave him the opportunity to be a coward, she just dragged him headlong into whatever crazy scheme she had.

His thoughts soured when he remembered the canoeing. He hadn't even minded the seasickness so much, but Donna... That had been beyond bullying, he didn't even know what to call that. Attempted murder? Patty had stood up for Tsubaki. Maka had stood up to him when he'd tried to steal from her and Crona in the cafeteria. Why was it only  _him_  who couldn't stand up for himself?

_What's wrong with me?_

"Patty?"

She popped up out of the bushes like the Easter Bunny, leaves in her hair, "Yeah?"

"Do you think I'm a coward? Do you think I can't stand up for myself?"

She tilted her head for a moment, "Why would you need to stand up for yourself? Me an' your other friends will do that for ya! Then you stand up for us; no one has to stand alone that way~!"

 _Other friends?_  Hiro's shoulders hunched, "What other friends?"

"Oh! Like- Like, like Blackstar, an' Tsubaki, and Kid, an' my sis, too!"

He blinked at her, "You... you think we're friends?"

Patty nodded enthusiastically, "Yep-yep-yep-yep, yep-yep! You stood up for Tsubaki, right? Even though Donna's  _really mean_. That was brave~!"

 _I... I did?_  He stared unseeingly at the ground. He- he  _had_  argued with her when she'd picked on them, hadn't he? He hadn't even remembered. Hiro found himself smiling and looked up, then shouted in surprise and fell backwards off his log, "Patty! What are you doing; tying to give me a heart attack!?" she had been  _right there_  in front of him. He winced and picked himself up off the ground, inching back as the other blonde leaned  _waaaay_  into his personal space and stared up at him, tilting her head around like an owl.  _Is she trying to look up my nose?_

"You're  _soooo_  pretty~!"

His head dropped, his whine not the least bit convincing, "I'm not pretty, I'm a guy."

Patty's eyes got big as a bug as she stared at him, "You are?"

Hiro felt like crying, just a little, "You... you thought I was a girl?"

"Well you're almost as pretty as Liz! I really like your earrings!"

 _Almost as pretty as..._  His shoulders slumped, "Eeh... thank you..."

She saluted him, "Yup!" and dove back into the bushes, leaving him to tend to his bleeding and wounded pride by himself.  _Build me up, tear me down._  He sighed as he plopped back on the log, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.  _A friend. Brave. And pretty. ...I guess I could live with that..._

Hiro smiled, small at first, then it grew into a huge grin and he threw back his head to laugh. He stood up and dusted himself off, done with his moping and ready to do... something. "Patty?"

She popped up again, "Yeah?"

"What are you looking for in the bushes?"

"Dunno."

His lips twitched. He honestly wasn't sure if Patty was a genius far beyond his comprehension... or an idiot beyond any level he'd previously seen before. Then he thought about the oar-fight with Blackstar... and leaned ever-so-slightly more to the latter. No one could fault her heart, at least. "We need to find a way out of here. Either back to the camp or to the meeting point. It's getting late. ...And I'm getting hungry."

Patty jumped up with both hands fisted and both arms in the air, "Let's GOOOO!" She pointed in a direction he wasn't able to name since they'd lost the compass, and shouted, "Onward!"

It was ten minutes later after following her that Hiro realized his mistake, glancing around at the indecipherable forest, "...You have no idea where we're going, do you?"

"Nope~!"

He facepalmed again, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes as he sighed.

"Ooh! Squirrel!"

"Uh-huh." Then he heard the sound of wings and blanched. "Patty, n-"

"Bird!" He was forced to run after the other blonde as she took off, scooping up stones from the ground as she ran and throwing them at the big... feathery animal whose name he also did not know. Hiro had had about enough of Patty's overenthusiastic feather-slaughter the day before when she'd chosen to hunt them as her chore. She had great aim and a strong arm for slinging river stones, but...

"Patty! Waaaait!"

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him along for another couple steps, making frustrated sounds when the small rocks she'd picked up didn't have enough heft to reach the bird when thrown, then she pulled back and tossed again. The feathered thing dropped like one of the rocks somewhere ahead.

Hiro stood and panted in place, fixing his clothing before freezing. He straightened his collar again, then looked around on the ground. "...Patty."

"Hmm~?"

"I... think I lost my pin. Do you have yours?"

She cheerily looked over her shoulder at him, "Nope~ But I  _got_  'im~"

Hiro felt his eye twitch, "Are you telling me... you tossed your skull pin to take down that bird?"

"Yuppers!"

He looked around in the very small clearing as everything crashed down on him, wondering which of the trees around them would be the best one to hit his head against while Patty wandered off to find her kill- and, he prayed, her pin. Hiro sat on the ground, imagining the lecture they were going to get when they were found-  _if_  they were found, for getting lost, for ruining the map, for misplacing the compass, and now losing the pins they had been  _specifically instructed_  to keep with them at all times.

He took it back: the day sucked. And his partner was apparently perfectly content to try and fully adapt herself into becoming a Bush-Person.

" 'How did your trip go?' 'Ohh, it was fine. You know: got dragged around all of one day, seasickness, and then my partner and I got lost and became Bush-People.' " he mocked to himself.

"Here~" He looked up and once again found himself scrambling backwards.

"Patty!"

"Yep!"

"No,  _not_  'yep'! You don't just shove a dead bird under someone's nose."

"But you said you were hungry..."

"I'm not eating it raw! And neither of us have fire-making equipment." She shrugged and turned away, pulling her pack off her shoulder and rifling through it. "What are you doing?"

"Putting it away 'til later when we get back and can cook it~"

"...You're going to just carry a dead bird around in your backpack?"

"Uh-huh!"

Hiro was glad she was turned away so she couldn't see the face he made, but it was just all too much, "Oh, god, we're going to die out here! Lost, no edible food, no emergency pins, no location beacons, no flares: we're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!"

Patty left him to his despairing hysteria in the interest of investigating another set of bushes near-by. Her partner was thankful she didn't mention -didn't even seem to notice- his mental break-down. Hiro flopped back to stare up at the darkening sky, half-way expecting to see buzzards circling overhead while the other half was well aware he was being melodramatic. Even if the teachers had to call in more people, or maybe dogs (isn't that what they did when people went missing: searched with dogs?), they would probably survive. ...Right?

Nygus had spoken about the Rule of Three the day before: a person could survive three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food. So if they could just find water, they'd reasonably have three weeks for the teachers to find them before they starved. ...It wasn't much comfort.

"Here you go~!"

Hiro sat up warily in case she tried to give him something else dead, his eyes almost bugging out at the sight presented to him. Patty had found berries and filled her hat with them, offering it to him. He also noticed the purple stains on her hands and around her mouth, "Are they safe?"

"Yup-yup! Blackberries. Or... raspberries? Bear berries?" she tilted her head in thought.

Hiro couldn't bring himself to care, plucking a few of the fruits from the make-shift basket and popping them in his mouth, "These are amazing, Patty!"

She beamed at him, "See? See? I've got ya!" she left him with the hat and went back to the bushes, crouched down by them and messing with her backpack again.

"Are you packing more of them?" That didn't sound like a good idea. Very unsanitary with the dead bird already in there, not to mention the soft berries squishing and staining absolutely  _everything_.

"Nuh-uh."

"Then... what are you doing over there?"

"It's a secret!"

He left her alone, finishing off the last of the berries in the hat, and looked around, "Should we keep moving, or look for our pins, or just stay here?"

Patty shrugged, plucking more berries from the bush. Then, from several different parts of the forest, the chirping screech of their pins sounded, echoing around them from impossible to discern directions.

"Maybe best to wait."

Patty plopped next to him and used his shoulder as a chin rest, "'Kay~" she held her backpack hugged to her chest and they waited together, occasionally snacking on more of the berries.

Hiro gave the other blonde her hat back, "Hey, Patty?"

"Hmm?"

"...Thank you for being my friend."

She beamed up at him, "Friends are the  _best_ , and the more you have, the more awesome it is."

That startled him, but then he smiled back, because his life certainly had been more 'awesome' since Patty had tackled him from behind and declared herself his partner, "I guess so."

"Hey-oh!"

He was on his feet in an instant, "We're saved! We aren't gonna die!"

Nygus tapped her foot as Patty jumped around with him, likely not knowing the reason for the revelry but not caring a whit. "How did you manage to get so lost? Where's your map? And your pins?"

Patty hopped to the forefront, hands balled under her chin as she told the story of their adventure, "We were walking but it was boring so I made a giraffe because giraffes are the  _bestest ever_  but then the giraffe ate the map so we got lost and then there was a bird that went flap-flap-flap and thought he could get away but he  _couldn't_  because I  _got_ 'im~! But then- then, the pin was gone because he took it after I got 'im and I couldn't find it when I  _actually_  got 'im so we stayed here to eat berries because we were gonna  _die_!"

The teacher looked between Patty's exuberant expression and Hiro's slightly pained smile, "Riiiight... Let's get you two kids back to camp, then..." she turned to lead the way.

Patty looked at her partner with huge eyes, "Let's go! I want to show Liz my giraffe and- and that you're a boy, do you think she'll be jealous of you since you aren't a girl?"

Hiro's head once again dropped as he saw the back of Nygus' shoulders shaking in front of them as she suppressed her laughter.  _...Maybe it'd have been better to be left in the forest after all..._

282828


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we finally break the 60K word barrier! Even better news: I have, through great pain and effort, actually managed to write out a complete timeline for the fic (we've got a good ways still to go, peoples), so there should be no more blocks as I know fairly well where everything is going. (Barring one instance, but that's pretty far away and I should have time to fiddle with it until I'm happy.)
> 
> Still, though, if anyone has any ideas, don't be afraid to share them. I never would have gotten this far without you guys.

292929

"How would we have gotten lost? We had a compass, a map -someone who could read the map...- and I have the person who might just be the most out-doorsy of the entire tower."

Medusa watched the younger blonde blush and hide behind her partner just a little as everyone looked her way, that was, until a pathetic groan came from the other side of the discussion, "I  _know_ , alright?! We sucked! We got lost, almost died, and turned into Bush People, I got it!"

Liz patted Hiro on the back -with maybe more strength than necessary- and sighed, "Don't feel too bad, you weren't the only ones who got lost. And really, you did better than I thought with Patty in tow."

Nygus crept up next to Medusa, leaning against her shoulder, the witch's eyes never leaving her charges, "You've taken an extreme interest in them..."

They'd been partners for over a decade: Medusa could read between the spoken lines, never looking away from Maka or Crona, "They're mine."

The dark-skinned woman couldn't discern the exact meaning in her friend's words, but the emotion behind them was more than clear enough, "Okay, then."

Kid wailed dramatically, "It was all  _his_  fault!" he cried, pointing accusingly at his own partner.

The albino boy snorted and posed, "Fool! I would never make such a mistake, why, I remember once when I-"

There was a collective uninterested 'uh-huh' from the rest of the group as he started off on a rant, none of the others paying attention. Medusa found herself smiling as she watched the large group interact around one of the additional fires they'd made while waiting for the final students to trickle back in- or get fetched by the teachers.

Ragnarok sat directly on the ground, cross-legged, with Crona perched on one of his legs. Soul stood slouched with his arms in his pockets, Maka just beside and behind him, arm linked with one of his. Liz sat on a log with her legs stretched out in front of her, Patty between them on the ground, clinging to Hiro like a plushy; the blond boy seemed to have given up entirely on the arm she clung to, and was, with Patty, the only one actually listening to Excalibur's  _loooong_  story. The dark-eyed albino boy stood off to the side, behind another log -notably as far from Kid as it was possible to be within the circle- gesticulating wildly as he spoke.

Kid was actively walking about on his side of the fire, picking things up and rearranging the area to be as symmetrical as he could get it, chiming in every now and then when he had something to add. Blackstar had somehow managed to wedge a log vertically in the ground, perched upon it where he could look down on all the others, Tsubaki standing next to it looking embarrassed, and glancing over at Liz frequently. And her partner, surprisingly, wasn't anywhere to be found with the group, off at another fireplace.

Medusa leaned more strongly back against Nygus, whispering, "Liz's team. That pair isn't going to make it."

Her teammate hummed, "Can't get 'em all perfect on the first try. I'm surprised all the ones we have are working out as well as they are. I'm not surprised Kid and Excalibur won't make it. I'm interested to see how the Final Fours turn out."

The golden-haired woman smiled back over her shoulder, "You're  _always_  interested in that."

Dreadlocks shook with Nygus' shoulders as she laughed, "You say that like you aren't just as interested. Especially with Crona and Ragnarok. Good chemistry there, if it weren't for the older already having a full team."

"Adjuncts aren't unheard-of, but yes, shame he's likely to end up in a different quad. I'd have liked to see him in with Maka, Soul, and Ragnarok. Not that I get to choose."

"Yeah, that's the thing, isn't it? We teach them, see them everyday, help them with their problems, watch them grow up. We know them best, and we don't even get a say in the teams, only assessment reports."

Medusa sighed and tilted her head back, breaking line-of-sight for the first time since her charges had come back from the exercise, "Then again, maybe it's for the best. We'd be too tempted to put them together according to emotional bonds alone instead of how well they work together, the effectiveness of the team, and the ultimate goal of most efficient for killing Kishin. Just look at my own choice: Two scythes and two swords all in one group. Talk about inefficient: four close-range fighters all together? The moment they had to deal with a flying enemy they'd be lost."

"And yet still..."

She smiled and let out a short bark of laughter, "And yet still I want to see them all happy- together if at all possible."

"Sentimental old hag for a heartless witch, aren't you?"

"Look who's talking, Mummy-dearest."

"Hey, I only wear these to accentuate my eyes!" Nygus claimed, sounding offended- or trying to.

"Sure."

The teasing was old and well-worn, and comforting for it, they smirked at each other, the bandages on Nygus' face not impeding her expressions in the least for one who knew her so well and so long. She wrapped one of her dreads around her wrist in a motion Medusa recognized as nervous excitement, "So, are you ready?"

"Always." This was one of her favorite parts of every one of these trips she got to go on. The trips themselves and the tests they came up with ultimately varied depending on their moods and what they thought would work best for the crop of students they took out, but it always culminated in this final test that never changed, and it always gave new insights on all the students. In one way or another.

"Then let's get this party started." Nygus straightened up and clapped her hands loudly, getting the attention of all the students from the various fires as well as the final duo trailing in behind her brother, "Everyone gather 'round, it's time for the last activity!"

Medusa slipped away to prepare, tapping the dark-skinned woman's shoulder quickly on the way, one of the many silent signals they had all developed together. This one meant 'in your care'. Bright blue eyes watched the golden-haired form fade into the darkness, Medusa's gaze once again centered on those two younglings of hers.

She turned to face the gathering students and straightened her shoulders, eyes flicking over the blonde and pinkette in question.  _I don't know why you've taken such an interest in them, Meddi, but fear not: I'll watch them for you._

* * *

 

Maka stood next to Soul, close but no longer touching, tense with the change in the air that it seemed only she and Crona could sense. Crona stiffened, Maka shook.

 _This... this feeling..._  She stepped back, not even bothered by bumping into Soul, who put his arm around her in concern, "Maka?"

 _Too much._  She could feel it on her skin, slipping below the surface. Magic. Magic on a scale far above anything Maka had ever experienced before in her life. The air shimmered with it, rippling like heatwaves on a hot day, so charged that the magic sparked off of itself and left little bright after-images of purple and gold.

Nygus herded them all onward, towards the lake, towards that  _magic_. The others went, some, like Liz and Tsubaki, more reluctant, but they all went, all except for Maka, Crona, and their partners. She couldn't move- she  _couldn't_. She tried, her legs would not obey her. Maka's hands fisted in her jacket while her body shook, eyes locked ahead. How could they not sense it? How could they not feel the magic around them so powerful it warped the very air?

"Oi, Tiny." Soul touched her shoulder and Maka jerked, her whole body giving a violent twitch. "What the hell is that? Why are you so afraid? Is it that... whatever it is, around us?"

Maka opened her mouth, to tell him, or try to, but nothing came out. Her throat worked but she couldn't speak. It was too much, too overwhelming. If-If Mizune had had half of the power she felt around them, the things she would have done with it...

"Maka, look at me." Soul stood in front of her and she couldn't  _not_  look at him, her body wouldn't let her do anything else but stay frozen. Her gaze was filled with crimson as Soul stared into her eyes, "You're going to be okay. Do you hear me? Whatever's wrong now, it will be okay. Okay?" His soul wavelength washed over hers like a soothing wave, washing her panic with calm and relaxation. "Take my strength until you can rely on your own again. We're  _partners_ , that's what partners are for, right?"

Maka pitched forward, hiding her face against Soul's chest while she trembled, breathing him in as she clung to his calm and used it to soothe her frantic mind. When Maka closed her eyes and focused on their souls, she could almost hear... piano music. No, she mentally shook herself, she was being silly, that was just Soul's heartbeat. But it was equally effective.

Maka didn't know how long they stood there -it felt like an hour, but was likely only a few minutes, if that- when she was able to pull back, her body listening to her again, and whispered a quiet thank-you.

She couldn't bring herself to look up at his face, the mortification heavy in her chest, but she caught sight of his signature grin in her peripheral vision, "No problem. Told you that's what partners are for. You good?"

Maka took a deep breath and straightened up, and felt her whole body shiver like a sudden gust of cold had hit her. She clenched her jaw and took a step forward- unwittingly dragging Soul when she realized she'd  _really_  clung to him. She let go as though burned and looked away, feeling her cheeks heat, "Sorry."

Soul reached down and grabbed her hand, "I already told you it's fine."

Another deep breath of the cool night air helped clear her mind, and the warmth of Soul's hand through her glove was an anchoring point. Maka took another step forward, the sensation of the magic moving around her, over her skin, through her soul, was disquieting, and just as overpowering as before, but it wasn't crippling this time.

Maka looked over to check on Crona and found the midnight eyes watching her in concern from the shelter under Ragnarok's arm. Crona never had had quite as strong a reaction to magic as she had, in the same way Maka didn't have the same reaction to deep, dark water as her brother. He no more faulted her for it than she did him, but that didn't make Maka feel any better, nor any less weak. It was embarrassing, and more: she was the one Crona depended on when he couldn't deal with things, she didn't want him to think she couldn't handle it, either.

Maka's hand tightened around Soul's, expression hardening, and she took another, larger step forward, and another, and then another. Her chest tightened, heart beating rapidly, but Maka refused to give up, she closed her eyes and ran.

Soul pulled her to a stop at the back of the crowd, apparently none of the other milling students were very comfortable with whatever was happening or about to happen. Maka froze again, this time in disbelief and wonder, as Lady Medusa stood in front of the lake, and then stepped out-  _onto_  it. The water rippled around the golden-blonde's feet, but she didn't sink in whatsoever. She appeared to have no more affect on the surface than a leaf would, gliding across the water, the end of her snake-eyed cloak trailing the top of the water behind her as she walked out into the middle of the lake and turned around. Maka could see her lips moving though she couldn't hear her at this distance, but she recognized the words as they were repeated again and again: Lady Medusa's litany, her spell.

Not even realizing she'd done it, Maka, too, a single step forward, trying to figure out how in the world the snake witch was water-walking. A personal-spell, to make one's feet light? Maybe to change her buoyancy? But surely that wouldn't account for the sheer amount of magic saturating the air. And then the breath froze in her lungs when Nygus stepped out onto the lake as well.

"Well? What are you all waiting for? Come on out-" her bandages moved in that way that suggested a large grin, "-the water's fine." Liz fully looked like she was about to stage a mutiny, until the dark-skinned woman jumped on the lake. The water rippled, an apparent skin-thin layer over top 'splish'ed, but it held her without ever even bowing. "Come on, we don't have all night, everyone on the lake. It will hold, the whole thing's been solidified like this. Come on. Guarantee you'll never get another chance like this again."

Blackstar, never content to do things like the average mortal, took a running leap, bounding through the other students, and launched himself out over the lake. Maka's breath caught and she leaned forward, of anyone else, Blackstar would be the one to break through if it were going to happen at all. It seemed everyone else had the same idea, standing stock-still with breaths held. The short blue-haired teen landed half-way between their teachers and the shore with a far bigger splash than Nygus had made, ripples racing out in all directions from his feet, but again the water didn't give, didn't bend.

Taking that as the sign it was safe, the others began going out as well. Hesitantly, one by one, they started walking out upon the water's surface.  Maka shared a look with both Soul and Crona -and  _now_  her brother was exactly as nervous as her- and cautiously moved towards the shore, hesitating an instant before putting their feet on the lake. It... held. Maka let out an explosive breath, almost more disturbed by the fact that it held than not, her eyes flitting across the surface of the lake as some of the more adventurous students began running and jumping and playing games. Laughter filled the night as they all began to spread out from each other, and Nygus watched with what may have been a small smile while Medusa continued chanting.

Maka shivered again, looking out across the vast expanse of water. This wasn't a small lake, it was massive- had to be, to handle two towers-worth, two bus-loads, of students and canoes. The amount of power it would take to place-freeze that much liquid...

Maka remembered, once, when Mizune, in a show of her power, had managed to freeze an area of wilderness around her: stopping birds in midflight, halting the leaves in the air as they fell, stilling the wind itself, the water in a stream close by. Maka had trembled then, watching her mother halt  _life_  around them. Mizune had held it for minutes, letting her take in exactly how much control she had over Maka's life, before releasing it. And then the pink-haired witch had been lain up in bed that night and the next day from overtaxing her magical energies.

For Lady Medusa to be able to do  _this_ , to hold it like so, with so many others stressing it, to prepare yet another spell, and to show no sign of strain whatsoever... It was beyond mind-boggling. Just how much power did the woman who'd taken them in have?

"Maka, Crona, you two come here for a minute. Soul, Ragnarok, you two go play and mingle with the others." Nygus made a dismissing flick motion with her hands that indicated she really didn't particularly care where exactly they wandered off to.

Soul gave Maka a look and, far from being the questioning one she expected, it was full of confidence for her, a lop-sided smile, "Go get 'em." His soul radiated only belief in her, that she could do it. He quite obviously believed that her break-down had been only a momentary thing, and he fully expected her to be able to handle anything else that happened.

Maka couldn't help it: she smiled back, feeling steadier. If Soul believed in her, if Crona believed in her, she could do no less in herself. Her stomach was no more settled, her heart no quieter, a shiver hitting her every few minutes, but Maka didn't let her nervousness stop her from letting go of Soul's hand and walking towards Nygus and Lady Medusa, Crona just a step or two behind. She looked over her shoulder and saw Soul give her something between a wave and a salute before he pointed over to where Blackstar was having (way too much, being the general consensus) fun, "Blackstar's got enough of a god complex, I'm gonna go make sure he doesn't get any worse thinking he's the reborn Jesus or something with all the water-walking." and leaving them with the two women as Ragnarok nodded their way and went the opposite direction.

They were close enough to hear their guardian's chanting now, as they'd heard several times over the course of the trip. Blue eyes focused on them and Nygus pulled their attention away, "You two trust Medusa, right?"

Crona and Maka shared a look before turning back and nodding. She'd helped them so much, been there for them, rescued them, taught them the rules of the school. They owed her. And while it wasn't in a whole-hearted, unyielding way, they trusted her. "We do."

She grinned through her bandages, "Then whatever you do, don't freak out at what's about to happen."

The warning bells that went off in their minds were too late as Medusa finished her spell with one final repetition: "Nake, snake, cobra, cobura!" something formed between her hands, her golden eyes narrowed in on them unerringly for only a split instant... and then everything went black.

292929

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who can guess what the hell just happened~? Anyone who reviews\PMs\Comments with the correct answer receives both a Magic Cookie and a special mention in next week's big 3-0 chapter~!


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had really big plans this week. I wanted to get completely finished with DeathStar's flashbacks so we could move on. Thus the big plans: I wanted to do a super-long, double-chapter as a special thing for the big 3-0.
> 
> But then Life, as per usual, decided to make me its bitch. Not even two complete paragraphs into Part two, and my computer freezes- HARD. Had to do a hard reset (thankfully saved), which took a half hour.
> 
> Walked away for a bit, came back, and tried again. Barely got anything started, and, instead of just freezing, I got to experience for the second time in my life (and the month) The Blue Screen of Death.
> 
> Okay, Universe, I can take a hint! Once is chance, twice- in an HOUR? I get the message!
> 
> Turns out it wasn't just DeathStar's karma, my computer's crashed no less than twelve times in the past three days. I don't know if I'll even be able to write next week's chapter. Please have mercy on me.
> 
> Now onto the prizes for guessing. No one got it (which is not surprising), but the two closest ones are:
> 
> The Author Haru
> 
> FlyingDoll4
> 
> And the consolation prizes!
> 
> (>-'.'-)>##
> 
> Enchanted Waffles given by Kirby!

303030

_Nothing._

Before, Maka had been afraid. There, with Soul and Crona and Ragnarok, that had been fear. That was nothing compared to now.  _It was_ _ **nothing**_ _._  This, this stomach-clenching feeling, this sensation that sent jagged shards of panic through her mind,  _this_  was- it was...

It was only when the thin sliver of surface water seeped through her pants that she realized her legs had given out on her. There was just so much  _nothing_. No sound, no light. Her eyes flicked from place to place uselessly, looking for something- for anything, but receiving nothing. Her breaths were ragged and getting shorter. She couldn't calm down, couldn't pull in a full breath, her chest wouldn't expand enough.

 _Stop it. Stop it. Stop it, please. Please._  She could feel her mouth making the motions, but no sound reached her ears. Her hands dug into her hair, tugging, pulling, and the pain was such an utter  _relief_  compared to the nothingness around her. Too much. She could feel it on her-  _in her_.  _Magic_. A black tar that swallowed her whole, smothering her in sickly-sweet smoke, steel bands tightening around her chest ever more with each struggling gasp.

There was no comfort, no Crona, no thought. There wasn't even a  _Maka_  at the moment, all there was was the drowning, smothering, hellish submersion in  _magic._  It spread across her body, leeched its way into her heaving lungs, scratched at her itching eyes, wormed its way under her skin until it could get to the blood her frantic heart pumped furiously through her veins. Consuming and all-encompassing, Maka lost herself to the magic.

* * *

Nygus' hand curled around her Team Mate's forearm before Medusa could take a single step and break the spell she'd just spent so much time and energy crafting. The witch looked at her with easily recognizable worry flashing in her golden eyes, but Nygus shook her head.

Medusa hesitated, wanting  _so badly_  to go to Maka, to stop that utter panic... But she nodded, straightening back up and lowering her foot back to the surface of the solidified water. She nodded once more in Nygus' general direction, keeping herself from looking in the direction of her wards by willpower alone.

The dark-skinned woman raised a hand to her throat to activate the inherent part of the spell.

_"Attention students. Do not panic. This is your final test. You are within what is known in magical circles as 'The Black Box'. Being unable to see or hear anything is, in fact, the point. You can't hear yourselves or each other, but we can hear you just fine. So, please, keep cursing and shouts to a minimum. Now to the fun part._

_"The entire trip has been to see how well your souls mesh with others."_ That was, of course, information that had been said several times both at the beginning and over the course of the trip, but it was only polite to give the stragglers a chance to fight off their fear and get themselves back under control.  _"Your chores to today's challenges, all designed to bring you closer together. Now is the chance to see how close that is. The object of this exercise is to find your Partner by the feel of their soul alone. Once you've found them, the spell will no longer affect you and you'll have your senses back again. And the game of Resonant Marco Polo begins... now."_

Her hand dropped from her throat and she stepped back to watch the children flounder about towards one another, one eye trained on her friend as well. Medusa focused on the smaller black box between her hands, giving at least the appearance of no longer watching her charges, but Nygus caught her furtive looks. And much as she wanted to tell the golden-blonde to stop worrying, she had no words for it this time, because Maka was still on her knees, lost inside herself.

* * *

Crona shifted restlessly in place, looking around uselessly. He couldn't see anything: he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. He wanted to put his hands out in front of him to keep from running into anything or tripping over something, but what was there to run into or trip over on the lake? He couldn't even find Maka.

They had been right next to each other, but feeling around was just as pointless as trying to see. No, he felt better with his right hand wrapped firmly around his left arm and holding it close to him. What if he held his hands out and  _did_  run into someone and poked their eye out or something? He definitely didn't know how to deal with that. No, he was much better off like this.

He needed to find his sister- and his partner, but Maka first. Only, when he tried to feel for her soul wavelength, it was like shouting into a void. There was nothing, not even an echo. Maka either hadn't heard or recognized his 'shout'.

Crona didn't understand, he'd seen her right there before everything went dark. But... but he couldn't sense Lady Medusa or Miss Nygus, either, and they had been close, too. So, maybe, it was because of the spell, and he shouldn't panic. They had told him not to panic. He knew -in theory- how to handle this situation. All he had to do was find Ma- no, he had to find Ragnarok. Maka was missing, so the next best thing was to find Ragnarok. And once he found him, the spell wouldn't work and he could look for Maka with his senses again.

Crona nodded. Yes, he knew how to deal with this. Only... he didn't really like to use Soul Perception. It meant putting his own soul wavelength out there, and he really didn't like that. Not for anyone but Maka. He liked Ragnarok, even trusted him- kind of, as much as he was allowed. But to try and reach out to his soul? He didn't know if he could handle that. He'd never done that with anyone but Maka before.

He shifted in place, tilting his head back and forth as he tried to argue both sides of the situation. Even if he didn't like it, it was the only way to complete the game, and if he failed, wouldn't that make everyone mad at him? Or worse, make them make fun of him? And, maybe, if he failed and didn't complete the game, he'd  _never_  get his senses back! Trying to use his Soul Perception was a  _much_  better option than that! How would he ever even know if Maka found him if he couldn't sense her with touch or sight or soul or- or anything?

Crona jumped a foot in the air and screamed when he felt something brush against his- his... his soul?

_...Ragnarok?_

He got the feeling of an enormous grin.  _ **Knew I recognized that obsessive worry somewhere.**_

_I- How did you...?_

_**I'm a Second Level, did you think I couldn't even handle a little assignment like this?** _

_No! I'm- I'm sorry._

_**Your soul feels like the biting of sharp anxiety at the back of my stomach.** _

_Sorry._

_**Stop apologizing already. Just stay there and keep, er, 'talking' to me, so I can find you.** _

_Um... M-Marco?_

Ragnarok's laughter was like steam from a hot cup of coffee: curling around his senses and invigorating.  _ **Polo.**_

* * *

It wasn't surprising that a Second Level was able to establish and maintain soul contact all on his own- but Nygus was tempted to call it cheating. She'd bet money Crona was passive in that connection. She sighed, "I am so deducting points for that." It wasn't a Resonance if only one party was making the effort...

"To be fair, the objective was finding their Partner, not Resonating with them."

"...Cheater... So he's going to win first just because-"

"I FOUND YOU~!"

Both their heads whipped around to spot Patty Thompson tackle-snuggling her partner and the poor boy blushing furiously as he tried to figure out where to grab her by to get her to stop.

Sid waved them over to the shore, out of the way of all the other students, and when Patty balked, he lured her in with the promise of marshmallows. Hiro was left in the middle of the water all alone in a matter of seconds, blinking owlishly.

Nygus snickered, looking out across the lake to check on the others' progress. There were several near collisions, but being unable to feel anything physically, the students didn't even notice it when they bumped into one another. It was apparent several pairs were able to sense each other, and some of the more advanced were apparently able to extend their Soul Perception enough to sense others near them, shown when they were able to avoid colliding with those they passed; stopping for some and sidestepping at other times.

And it was quite apparent that  _some_  couldn't sense either their partner nor anyone else- and it didn't look like they cared, either. Her brow twitched as Blackstar ran pell-mell across the water -going the opposite direction of Tsubaki- bowling some poor students clear over and making an even bigger fool of himself.

Nygus turned back, heart constricting for the pinched look on Medusa's face. She couldn't even speculate which of those groups Maka might have been in: the little ash-blonde was still on her knees, rocking back and forth and muttering intelligible things to herself. She had already managed to ruin her ponytails, and she'd start losing clumps of hair shortly if she didn't pull herself together. Nygus was almost ready to throw in the towel on that one and let her witchy friend lift the spell for the girl.

Very shortly, passing or failing the test wasn't going to matter, because if Maka didn't at least get her breathing under control, she was going to hyperventilate and pass out.

* * *

Tsubaki blinked -not that it helped- when she was just in front of The Presence. It was the one that had drawn her most, but now that she'd found it, she was fairly certain it wasn't Blackstar.

It wasn't that Blackstar wasn't protective, because he was that, though in a different way than The Presence was exuding. And Blackstar didn't really give off a 'soothing' vibe like The Presence. Blackstar was more... 'hot\excitement\fun\more-more- _more!_ ' and The Presence was soft and soothing and strong as steel and very protective, with a softness under all of that.

It smelled like concrete dust, metal, and heat. And Blackstar was more clean sweat, just a little blood, and a tone of just pure... maleness.

Tsubaki shifted in place, cheeks heating and uncomfortable. Most definitely not her Partner, and yet, the one she'd been most drawn towards. She was so failing this test. She opened her mouth before remembering that neither of them would be able to hear anything. But she didn't know how to communicate with soul wavelengths. The general pings they'd been sending out were the soul equivalent of 'me\here I am!' which didn't exactly a conversation make. Unless they wanted to try Morse Code. ...Not that she knew Morse Code.

Well, she'd never figure it out if she didn't try. The first effort made her wince. That hadn't been a message, that had been a Blackstar-esque wordless shout, not so unlike her partner's 'YAAHOOO!'. She cleared her throat and tried a different approach, this one more of emotions than words.

She got a response that time at least, but it wasn't anything she understood. It was a giant tumbling ball of emotions sent back at her, that she could 'see' but not decipher as it was gone too quick. She did get a lingering sense of amusement, though, like the other knew what to do and was letting her figure it out herself. Tsubaki wasn't sure how much she appreciated that.

Another try, a little closer, focusing on a single emotion and thought. ' _Who?'_

The response that time was lilting laughter and a feeling of dusty wind- and Tsubaki's whole face  _really_  flamed as she realized exactly who she'd been drawn to. She clasped her hands together behind her as she formed the thought\feeling she wanted and pinged it out.

_...Hi, Liz..._

* * *

Nygus shook her head as she watched the two girls interacting, "We knew Liz' wouldn't hold, but for them to be so drawn to  _each other_..."

"That's a good thing, Nygus."

"The point of the exercise was to -again- find their  _Partner_ , not-"

"Arrgghh!"

"Son of a-!"

She turned around while Medusa tensed, unable to move while holding the spell, and facepalmed, "Lord Death..."

"What happened?"

"Blackstar finally hit someone."

"Who?"

"K-"

"For the love of symmetry! My nose!"

The golden-blonde's lips twitched, "...Kid?"

Nygus crossed her arms, voice wry, "How did you ever guess?"

"Blackstar! You over-enthusiastic, reckless, risk-taking, winning-obsessed beast!"

Medusa's head whipped around so fast her braid nearly hit Nygus across the face, "He can see?"

"He can see  _stars_ , for sure. But I doubt he can see  _that_  star, specifically. I think he just knows that no one else in the group is going to end up tackling someone at 'concussion' miles per hour."

Blackstar rubbed at his own - _bleeding_ \- forehead, "Dammit, Kid! Quit getting in the way, would'ya!"

Nygus' teeth dug into her lower lip behind her bandages and she let out a shrill, piercing whistle. Neither of the boys reacted. "Nope, spell's still got 'em both. Even with Blackstar having the worst Soul Perception in the school, I'd bet he hit hard enough to ring like a bell that time." she sighed and cocked her hip, "Better release 'em, Meddy, neither of them are finding anything needing medical attention like that." her blue eyes slid over to a certain asian girl, "Then again, wouldn't want to ruin  _some_  students' fun..."

* * *

Soul smirked in the blackness.  _Finding each other by souls alone, huh?_  This was going to be the easiest test ever. He couldn't really pinpoint the exact moment it had begun, but he and Maka had been just at the edge of each other's perceptions for ages. It had been flickery before, but sometime during the trip that connection had stabilized.

They'd been using it constantly to test each other's mood or offer encouragement. He was absolutely positive he could find the little blonde with his eyes closed. Which was pretty convenient, since that was pretty much exactly the game.

His soul sensing abilities weren't great in the first place, but it would take an idiot to miss as huge a presence as Blackstar taking off like a shot from beside him. He didn't even have to try or open himself for that one. When it came to Star it was less like attempting to eavesdrop and more like trying to block out someone shouting. 'Subtle' was not Blackstar's thing.

It was actually easier with Star gone, since he wouldn't have to try to sense past the loud soul. He closed his eyes -not that it actually had an effect, but it was the intent of the thing- tilted his head back a little the same as he would if he were trying to hear a physical sound, and  _sent_.

He felt his soul wavelength echo out across the lake like a light blue ripple in the darkness. Other tiny little blue-white lights lit up momentarily as his soul wavelength rippled past them before going dark again. He could  _almost_  make out who some of them were, impressions he received: big\brash, neat and orderly to the extreme, soft and quite nearly to the point of not being there, anxious\worried\fret-fret-fret\indecision.

Soul frowned as his wave length spread further and never pinged back with Maka's glowing presence. The people around him on the lake were like fireflies, but Maka's soul was like a dark ocean of waves and calms and hidden things. And it was missing. She wasn't responding to him, not at  _all_ , almost like her soul didn't even recognize his was trying to contact her.

_Maka..._

He narrowed his focus down, ignoring the general hum of  _others_  and concentrating only on Maka, on how her soul felt next to his, the feel of her emotions, the hum of her presence next to his.  _Maka._  The gentle pressure of her hand against his arm, the feeling of her beside him, her smile, the sound of her laughter.  _Maka!_  All of it the flavors, the tone, the sound\scent\feel of her soul.  _ **Maka.**_

There! He found her, small, hidden, pulled into herself so much that her soul wasn't even pinging back for others. Soul reached out for her, a ping he'd sent so many times before to get her attention or check on her mood. But the response he got back wasn't anything like he expected.

Soul's breath left his lungs in a rush as his back met the solid surface of the lake with a splash at the wave of utterly overpowering  _something_  that hit him. Had Maka just attacked him?! He groaned and pushed himself up, annoyance flashing as he moved and got up to stalk over to his 'Partner' because he most certainly knew where the hell she was now! He got to his feet and took the first step when he froze in place. Maka's soul was wide open to him now, and it wasn't aggressive, it was  _petrified_. Beyond: panicked and shaking violently.

Soul's throat worked as he tried to swallow the sudden lump choking him. Maka hadn't attacked him, she had knocked him clear off his feet with the power of her terror alone. His feet were moving before his mind had the chance to catch up. He'd never before felt anything like the cold creeping across his limbs now, chill tendrils that followed his veins, the sensation of cold in his center like he'd swallowed snow. It made his scalp prickle in warning, made his heart speed up, and gave him the overwhelming urge to look over his shoulder for pursuit even though he knew he'd see nothing- no, that there was nothing  _to see_.

 _Maka!_  Nothing back. She really didn't recognize him. There wasn't room in her soul for recognition, only complete panic. Soul ground his teeth and tried to remember what he'd done earlier when she'd been scared. He reached deeper and sent his soul wavelength out stronger than before, focused solely on her.  _Maka!_

She flinched- or it felt like that to Soul. Close enough. His panicking over her panic wasn't going to help anything. He did his best to send out calmness and clarity, but he wasn't sure how well he did. Failing at that, he did what he always did when he ran out of strategy, he hit hard enough to compensate. Soul didn't try for any special message after that one, he went for strong, steady, 'I'm here' waves that lapped at the jagged frozen structures of Maka's terror.

_'...Soul?'_

* * *

_Nothing, nothing. NOTHING! I'm nothing, there is nothing. Go away-away-way, leave me alone. No magic, none, nothing!_

Maka couldn't feel the water that soaked through her clothes, she couldn't feel the pain from where her fingers dug into her scalp, couldn't feel the souls around her. All her mind could focus on was the magic around her, on her, moving through her body and creeping into her soul. There was nothing to distract her, no light, no Crona, no Lady Medusa. She was alone and left alone with only the swirling, suffocating blackness inching its way inside, numbing her from the outside-in.

She flinched at the 'thunk' of a soul-sound that echoed inside her head, as if someone had struck a gong right next to her ear. It shook her to her very bones. And it didn't stop, ringing again and again, vibrating through her whole being like- ...like a heartbeat. She recognized that sound. Maka's hands slowly released from her hair.

_...Soul?_

Another resounding gong-strike echoed through her and she felt it crackle against the brittleness inside. Then Soul wasn't just there, he was  _there_ , in front of her, and then  _everything_  was there. Maka could see again, see him kneeling in front of her and staring at her with his expression twisting in worry, his hands on her shoulders. And she stared right back, then heaved a great gasp and started coughing as her breathing tried to regulate itself. Soul held her carefully, his soul ringing strongly against hers, chasing away the chill of the magic with overpowering warmth.

Her chest hurt, her lungs and heart overworked, and she struggled through the coughing fit, huffing little breaths as she looked up at him, "You came."

His smile looked a little strained, but his soul sang with relief, " 'Course I did, stupid. We're Partners."

"...Sister?" Maka glanced over her shoulder to see Crona standing with Ragnarok, "Are you alright?"

Standing was difficult, her legs didn't want to hold her after all the shaking, but Soul let her lean on him until she'd be able to stand on her own. She looked over to where Lady Medusa was taking deep breaths, her shoulders slumped, and back to Crona's worried eyes, Soul a well of strength beside her, and Maka felt... cared for. She didn't feel weak for her weakness, because others had stepped up to help when she'd needed it, when she  _couldn't_.

She took another shaky breath, "I'm not sure." But the thing was, in that moment, Maka didn't  _have_  to be, and it would still be okay. She smiled at Crona, "...But I know I will be."

303030


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last chapter for a little while. While my computer has been mostly behaving this week, I've caught a bad cold and won't be in any condition to write for a bit.
> 
> I hope the humor in this chapter helps ease that some. Happy Easter, everybody~!

313131

Loading had been interesting.

They'd all settled down for a last night outdoors, Soul and Maka once again somehow winding up a little away from the others and falling asleep watching the stars. They were close enough to hear Patty staying up far into the night hopped up on marshmallows, but far enough that the groans and 'just go to sleep already!'s didn't bother them. Apparently everyone was rung-out from their final exercise- even the teachers. Medusa had come by and traded a few quiet words with Maka, touched her shoulder, and was asleep herself only two minutes later. Soul guessed he'd be wiped, too, if he froze an entire lake for the better part of an hour.

Dawn, he decided, dawned too goddamn early and with no appropriate care for those who'd been exhausted by too much adventure during the course of previous days. He only took comfort in the fact Maka was just as bleary-eyed as him and everyone else as they packed up their things to go. There was headache-inducing shouting as people went over lists again and again to make sure they hadn't lost anything- Kid added to that, asking the teachers to make sure they hadn't lost his entire second set of everything he hadn't even been supposed to bring in the first place.

Soul, for his part, honestly could not give a fuck  _what_  he left behind. He had his old headband in his pocket, and the new one Maka had given him on his head. Anything else was expendable- and how happy he'd have been to 'expend' it if it meant more sleep. Fuuuuck. They had a -what was it?- ten hour drive to look forward to before they were even back in their home state. Couldn't they have waited an extra two hours to go?

Everyone was still sleepy, everyone was in a bad, early-morning mood, everyone was scrambling. Therefore, it really wasn't too surprising that 'their group' couldn't manage to keep track of each other and all get on the same bus. The only thing Soul was actually certain of was that Maka was at his side and Crona was conspicuously absent from hers when they got settled in the back of their bus. He thought he saw Patty a few rows ahead, and even in a crowd as diverse as their school was capable of, Blackstar's hair stuck out, but that was all he was certain of.

Eventually the commotion began to die down, and it was so early that the sun  _still_  wasn't actually 'up'- or at least hadn't cleared the treeline yet. The teachers, after being the ones to kick them awake ever-so-gently less than an hour before, then informed them that they were free to go back to sleep. Soul's eyebrow twitched like it was trying to jump off his face, and it was by will power alone -and nothing to do with the fact Maka was physically holding him back- that he kept in his seat and didn't start a fight with their teachers. He settled for crossing his arms and scowling out the sliver of window they shared with the seat ahead of them when Maka took the advice and used his shoulder as her personal pillow.

Soul huffed at the purple-gray twilight outside, his temper simmering down faster than he expected. He turned his head and saw that Maka was, unbelievably, already sleeping again. Well... his partner might have had a point. Getting angry and frustrated wasn't going to help his exhaustion any, it'd only keep him too hyped up to get any actual rest. He sighed and felt his shoulders untense, letting his arms relax and fall to his sides. As soon as his left hand slipped down to her own, Maka's gloved fingers curled around him and she snuggled deeper into his side. Soul couldn't help it: he smiled. Maka  _trusted him_ , even in her sleep she wasn't pulling away. Soul leaned his head against hers, shamelessly using her as a pillow -turnabout was fair play, after all- and closed his eyes, determined to get as much sleep as he could, in spite of their teachers.

* * *

Soul had just about had it for sucky wake-ups for the entire trip. It had been early as hell the day they left, the next morning he'd had that screeching wake-up from hell due to their pins, just earlier it was another far-too-early call, and now he was jerked from the tender arms of a very nice dream as his head viciously collided with first Maka's on one side, then the metal siding of the bus itself on the other.

Soul was forced to act fast as Maka was almost flung from her seat and into the aisle in front of her, grabbing his partner and pulling her to his chest as his foot shot out to the edge of the next seat in front of them to stabilize them both as the bus swerved back and forth. Cries sounded out further up as others weren't so lucky and  _were_  flung out into the aisle, and in some cases all the way to other seats.

The bus rolled to a halt to the sounds of many pained groans and much heart-felt cursing. Medusa was the first one on her feet, but Nygus wasn't far behind, "Is anyone injured? Sprains, broken bones?"

There was a few minutes of shuffling as everyone got back to their places- with a notable exception of one Patty Thompson, who had fallen out of her seat, directly on top of her partner, and was still fast asleep. Lots of bumps and bruises, but only one actual  _injury_ , a sprained ankle on a girl named Jackie who'd had her foot wedged between the window and backrest of the seat in front of her.

Soul hissed painfully as he let Maka go and pushed back up to his spot, head throbbing. Maka frowned at him, then called Nurse Medusa back as soon as she was done with Jackie's foot. Soul tried -in vain- to ward her off, but with both blondes giving him that disapproving stare, he was really no match and let them do as they wanted. If Maka thought he needed healing and was willing to call the nurse herself even with her absolute -er,  _hatred_... of magic, maybe she was on to something. A muttered spell later, Soul's head stopped trying to pound itself out from his skull and he was actually able to think clearly- and he was certainly done sleeping  _now_!

"What the hell happened, anyway?"

Luckily, their chaperone was still right there, watching Soul to make sure his brain didn't spill from his ears or whatever other weird-ass side-affect one might have from healing someone's concussion with magic. Medusa frowned as she answered: "The other bus started swerving wildly and almost ran us off the road. We had to swerve to avoid getting hit."

Nygus held up a walkie-talkie- or was that radio receiver? "Everything alright over there?"

There was a moment of silence before Sid's voice came over the connection, "More or less. Just a little misunderstanding. Take a few moments, though, there's a few students that want to switch buses."

"...And they wanted to attempt this at sixty miles per hour?"

"No. I said it was- you'll see."

So they waited a few moments before Liz and two others stalked angrily from the other vehicle, the blonde physically slamming the doors closed - _Wow, she's that strong?_  Soul wondered.  _Or,_  he corrected, getting a look at her face,  _just that pissed..._ \- and stomping to theirs. Liz stormed onto the bus seething, "If I'm forced to spend one single second more cramped in a bus with Excalibur singing Dani California all the way home, I'm going to slit my wrists, I swear it!" she found her sister -now back in her own spot and still using Hiro as her own pillow\bed- and wedged herself down into the empty seat in front of her. Quiet engulfed them all until she glared out over the dozens of curious stares and snapped, "Can we get the fuck on with it now?"

Medusa moved herself into the seat on the opposite side and just ahead of the seething teenager and crossed her arms as Nygus took her place up front again. No one dared ask her to explain what she meant. Another few minutes passed as Nygus and Sid spoke a bit more and confirmed no one else wanted to shift about before they finally got back under way.

It wasn't long, though, before the last few students woke up and everyone began the bus-shuffle in order to get closer to their friends so they could talk during the long and sure-to-be-boring trip. ...Assuming there were no more near-wrecks the rest of the journey, that was. Soul and Maka moved up a few seats, and switched sides, behind Medusa, an empty seat between them. Blackstar and Tsubaki ended up across from them and just behind Patty and Hiro.

Blackstar was, of course, the first one brave (or stupid) enough to ask: "So what actually happened over there?"

Liz pushed herself up from her sulking position and spun around on her seat, sitting on her knees (and getting a warning from the driver that she ignored), "I was losing my  _mind_. Excalibur has been singing since he fucking woke up. We went through four-hundred and ninety-six bottles of beer on the wall before one of the other students suggested singing favorite songs. I don't know who exactly it was that suggested that, and after Excalibur started mutilating christmas songs, they didn't have the courage to show themselves. He worked his way through all twelve days and three kings -seriously what the hell is up with that guy and counting songs?- and all the reindeer and, Sweet Death, I don't even know what else; I think I partially blanked out my mind to preserve my sanity. I only came back to myself when he was on his fifth repetition of Dani California -guess he ran out of holiday tunes- and got to 'staring down the barrel of a hot metal forty-five' when I-"

"Lost it?" Blackstar asked.

"-gave him one to stare down." Liz finished.

There was a moment of silence as they all digested that, then, "Wait! You-"

"Manifested and tried to shoot him? Absolutely, and you would have, too!"

Blackstar blinked, then looked at Tsubaki, "What's the school policy on shooting other students?"

Soul scoffed, "Pretty sure murder is just as looked down upon at school as anywhere else, Star."

Liz frowned, "Is it really 'murder' when everyone else is cheering you on to do it?"

"Is he still singing over there?"

"I don't know, and I don't  _care_. I was already half-way off the bus when I heard some of the others threatening to tie him to the roof if he didn't shut up."

Blackstar looked like he was getting ready to burst into song himself for a chance to be tied to the roof of the bus. "You can't be serious."

Blue-gray eyes just  _looked_  at him, "Have you  _heard_  him speak? He sings like that, too. Try to imagine that. He goes off on tangents in song just like he does when he talks. I've learned how to reduce the effect of the next morning's hang-over, how to handle alcohol poisoning, the names and meanings behind all of the reindeer, and the original story behind Santa. And Excalibur doesn't just stop and monologue in the middle of a song -Fool! Are you kidding? How uncouth- he sings  _those_  parts, too!

"Did you know he once had a girlfriend he actually gave five golden rings to? Now, they weren't all actual  _ring_ -rings -well, one of them was- though the others were a pair of interconnected gold-ring earrings. But that still adds up to a total of ' _fiiiive, golden riiings~'_. And he's never given turtle-doves, french hens or partridges because he's allergic to feathers and why, one time, he remembered this incident with feathers that involved someone trying to prank someone else, and-"

"We got it."

"I'm only surprised no one else tried to kill him before I did."

Tsubaki bit her lip, "You didn't  _really_ try to shoot him, did you?"

Liz glanced away, and Soul got the feeling that, yeah, she  _really_   _did_ try to shoot him, "Well, I shot  _at_  him. Usually that's all the closer I have to get to shut someone up. I didn't  _hit_  him, at least. Driver might have freaked out a little, though."

Soul gave her a scathing look, " 'A little'? You think?"

"You don't know what I've been putting up with for the last four hours! First I got to listen to Kid bitching and moaning from the time we got on the bus, then just when I thought he'd run out of steam, that- that-"

"Excalibur." Hiro supplied.

" _Him."_  Liz hissed, "Started with the caterwauling.

Tsubaki made sympathetic tsking noises, "Was Kid really so bad?"

Blackstar puffed his chest out, "I can put up with him."

Everyone else in the group shared a quiet moment, waiting for the irony of that statement to sink in.

Liz looked at the blue-haired teen sideways, "Yes, well, I can't. But then, I wasn't the one that kissed Kid at Mach 4."

Blackstar's cheeks flamed, "It wasn't a kiss! He just got in the way!"

"Really? There was no mouth-to-mouth contact? Because I've spent all morning listening to him bitch about how you each chipped a tooth and were asymmetrical until Nurse Medusa fixed it." Blackstar didn't argue the point back, just sank back down in his seat and crossed his arms.

Soul wondered what it said about him that, instead of the more rational, sane, thought of 'these are the psychos I go to school with' he found himself swearing to never try and sing Christmas carols when Liz was in the room. "So, how  _do_ you lessen a hang-over?"

* * *

_16..._

"Tree."

_17._

"I spy with my little eye, something..."

"Tree."

_18._

"You're good at this."

"I am the amazing Blackstar! This puny game is no match for me! I spy with my mighty eye-"

"Tree."

 _19_.

"...You're pretty good at this, too."

Hiro sighed and leaned over the seat in front of him to catch Liz's eye, her blue-gray gaze looking up at him as she slouched with her legs wedged against the seat ahead of her. She raised a brow questioningly and Hiro glanced back at Patty and Blackstar, "...You ever consider shooting the ones suffering instead of the ones causing it? If they ask very nicely?"

"I am not shooting you. Did you not hear the lecture I just received about using my words instead of my weapon abilities?"

"I'm going insane here. And we haven't even reached the desert yet, can you really handle them doing  _this_ -"

"Tree."

_23._

"-for another five hours with 'sand, sand, sand'?"

The elder Thompson shrugged, "This is still better than listening to Excalibur singing."

Hiro was almost ready to take his chances. Hell,  _he'd_  be happy to be the one riding on top of the bus if that was his only option! He draped himself despondently over the backrest of Liz's seat as someone brushed by him on the way to the back of the bus- probably to the bathroom. "So if I sing really obnoxiously..."

"I'm still not allowed to shoot you."

"Damn."

Hiro plopped back in his spot when he realized it had been several seconds and he hadn't had to add to his tree-count. He turned to Patty to see her rifling through her bag, Blackstar behind them easily distracted like a kid with a shiny thing. He let out a sigh of relief before his Patty Senses started tingling when she didn't put her bag down even after a good five minutes.

 _Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't do it, Hiro. Do. Not. Ask..._ "Patty, what are you doing?"

She smiled up at him with those guileless blue eyes... and Hiro knew some form of chaos was about to ensue. She leaned towards and motioned for him to bend down, he did and she whispered to him, "Do you remember my secret?"

He blinked in confusion.  _Secret?_  She hadn't told him any sec- oh. Oh, no... He glanced at her sideways, "Patty... tell me you don't still have that dead bird in your bag."

She waved him off, "Nope, I traded that to Sid last night for more marshmallows." she tilted her head, "...I meant to share some with you... but I ate 'em."

"Er, that's okay."

Patty motioned him closer again, "I found a kitty in the bushes and brought it with me."

Hiro's face froze. His mind whirred in panicked little circles. He  _knew_  Patty by now. Dear Death God, what had she picked up? All he could see in his mind's eye was her stuffing some mountain lion cub in her bag. The teachers were so going to expel them... He face-palmed and couldn't hold in his groan, "Patty... We have to ask the teachers about things like that. What do you think that kitten's mom is going to think now that you took it?"

She puffed out her cheeks at him, "But Flower isn't a kitten, he's a big kitty. See?"

Hiro looked at what she pulled from her bag and wound up half-way out in the middle of the aisle, not falling only because his fingers were dug into the backrest, "NOT A CAT!"

 _Do. Not. Move._  Hiro didn't argue with the voice in his head. He didn't even question it. Surely after hanging around Patty for extended periods of time it was only expected for him to develop voices.

Patty blinked uncomprehendingly from over the black and white form she held out for his inspection. The entire bus went quiet at the commotion and Hiro clapped his free hand over his mouth to try and stifle his shout so he didn't panic the skunk -that Patty was now cuddling- into spraying. Medusa's voice came from behind him and two seats ahead, quiet and way more calm than she had any right to be, "Nobody. Move. Patty, where did you get that?"

"I found Flower in the bushes and shared berries with him and he followed me so I just brought 'im along. Isn't he cute?."

Soul piped in with, " 'Flower'? Really? You'll give him gender identity issues."

Hiro really thought Patty's skunk's gender identity was the least of their problems at the moment.

Patty snuggled the skunk- who, Hiro noticed, sported a bright pink bow on its head, "He's nice, see? I named him Flower 'cause he smells like flowers~"

He could have sworn he heard Liz mutter: "If you count marigolds, sure..."

Hiro noticed that the bus was slowing to a stop, and Medusa tried to get Patty's attention without upsetting the animal, who, aside having the ability to spray them all, might have who knew what diseases or viruses. "Patty, we can't take Flower with us. You can't just take him away from his home like that. He'll miss his friends and family just like you'd miss Liz."

Patty squished it to her chest, Hiro, Soul, and Medusa all flinching in anticipation of something going wrong. But Patty just looked at them with watery eyes, "But- but... But he's my  _Flower_. W-with a bow an' everything!"

Medusa held out her hand calmingly, trying to bring Patty's voice back down to the range of human hearing, "I know that. We can all see that. Can't we all see that?" golden eyes looked around at them all and to the one every student nodded their heads, "But, Patty, how would you feel being plucked up from your home and friends and family? I know you want Flower with you, but, as a pet-owner, you have to think about what's best for him."

Patty held the skunk up in front of her, face to face, with big, teary eyes. Several of the girls around them 'awww'ed when the animal stuck out it's tongue and licked the small blonde. She hugged it to her chest, "I love you, Flower... so... so you can go home now." then she wiped her eyes and stood up.

Everyone else let out a simultaneous breath of relief- until the bathroom door opened and Donna stepped out, approaching them unknowingly and then freezing when she saw the younger Thompson, "What is that filthy animal doing on the bus?!"

Patty glared at her, "Flower is my kitty but he's not happy here because he's got friends and other flowers back home so I'm putting him back. Meanie."

The short-haired raven's cheek twitched, "What kind of  _moron_  mistakes a  _skunk_ for a cat? Are you deficient, you idiot?!"

Patty must have squeezed Flower too hard in her anger at Donna, because he made a chirp\squeak sound and raised his tail. Everyone dove out of the way, covering their mouths and noses, as the black-haired girl got the full brunt of the bow-wearing skunk, shrieking at the top of her lungs.

Nygus jammed open the doors, "Out!"

Everyone in the front half of the bus fled, gagging, running to get away from the stench. Patty was one of the last out, her 'kitty' still in her arms and face pouty as she approached Medusa, "I guess you're right... Flower doesn't like meanies, either. He wouldn't be happy at school, huh?"

Medusa scrunched her face as she gingerly reached around and patted the smaller blonde's shoulder, "Exactly so, Patty. You go say good-bye to Flower while I handle this."

"Kay~"

* * *

Medusa did her best to fix the inside of the bus, but there was really nothing much magic could do for the situation. She had no choice but to herd them all back on the bus. Patty seemed to bounce back quickly, though, saying she'd left Flower with the bow to remember her by and that she just knew he'd waved good bye to her. She was back to chatting with Hiro in minutes. Unfortunately, there was no other solution for everyone than to ride with all the windows down the whole way back to school, desert heat be damned. Donna had the whole back of the bus to herself for the rest of the trip as students crowded the front, packed in three to a seat in some cases.

The snake witch sighed when, six hot, stinky, complaint-filled hours later, they finally arrived back at the DWMA. She sent a message ahead and told the students that their showers would feature a tomato juice knob for the next few days.

Maka wasn't sure if it was the familiarity of the warm desert air or the freshness of being off the reeking bus that made her feel energized as she stepped from their ride, and she couldn't find it in her to care. But she did know her first stop was going to be a tomato shower just in case. Her lips couldn't stop twitching at how wretched Donna had been the whole way back, head out a window whenever possible. She probably didn't have a single thing left in her stomach from all the heaving she'd done.

It wasn't complete justice, of course, but it was certainly a step in the right direction.

Soul stepped up next to her, "Home, sweet home."

 _Home..._ Maka smiled at him and looked up at the school, feeling a tug in her chest.

Liz walked by at just that moment, talking with Tsubaki, "Five hours crammed into a bus skunk-stench is  _still_  better than listening to Excalibur's singing if you ask me." Maka couldn't help breaking down in giggles as Soul smirked at her. Yes, she really was home, wasn't she?

She followed him up the steps of the DWMA, beaming.  _I'm home._

313131


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back~ Hope I manage to hop right back in the saddle...
> 
> Sorry for taking so long, but at the end of the cold and a little longer, I wrote an entire prequel for The Birth of DeathStar~! It's a good jumping-in point for those of you who haven't given in to the KidStar bug yet. So go check that out, and I have a poll up on my profile right now about the secondary pairings here: so if you're coming back from DeathStar, you can help tip the balance towards more KidStar fun, OR, TsuStar if you care for a change.
> 
> (Also: I got tackled from the side by a female Naruto and had to write a seedfic for that, which I might continue a bit more... Blame BlackStar! He saw her hit me, but did he help? Noooo, he sat there on his perch on high and laughed while I failed to fend her off, so it's HIS fault!)
> 
> And I've also just written a new SoMa mini fic if you care to read that~ (I know: see? I haven't been idle!)
> 
> And finally, a deep, personal thanks goes out to ChessSilven over at AO3 for the inspiring, galvanizing review. Thank you so much for the support. *bows*

 

323232

Maka shot up in bed, panting. Her panic receded as her eyes darted about and she recognized the room that was quickly becoming more and more familiar for her.  _Her_  room. Hers alone. Then she looked down at the bed and smiled at the head of pink burrowed deep in the covers. Well, hers alone in name, at least, just as Crona's was his- technically.

She let out a trembling breath and pushed her hair back out of her eyes, making a face at it, and the blankets all tangled around her legs. Crona hadn't even been bothered by her usual nightly struggles. Maka got up and grabbed her school clothing, heading for the bathroom and taking a shower. The cool water helped clear her head and wash away the panic-sweat. she stepped out afterward and dried off quickly, rubbing down with a towel so hard and fast her skin was pink from the friction.

She just wanted to put space -and time- between her and her latest nightmares. She left the final towel around her neck to catch stray drops until her hair dried. As much as she wanted to be swift, Maka was smarter than to try and towel dry her hair, it got plenty tangled enough all on its own without the extra encouragement.

It was still ridiculously early in the morning when she stepped out of the bathroom and crept through the bedroom, out into the rest of the suite. Maka sighed and shuffled out to the living room, intent on curling up on the couch until morning. She stopped in her tracks at the head of golden-blonde hair already there, shifting in place and wondering if she should just go back to her room and wait in there while trying not to wake up Crona.

Before she could take even a single step back, she was stopped, "Maka?" Bright, burnished gold eyes held her in place, "What are you doing up so early?"

"I... I couldn't sleep. So I just... decided to get up for the day."

"I see." Lady Medusa wasn't usually so hesitant and it was only making Maka more nervous. "I see you've already taken a shower this morning. Go get your hairbrush and come sit down next to me."

Well it sounded like a better option than anything she'd been considering. Maka nodded and retreated back to her room, quickly grabbing the darkwood brush and slipping back out without bothering her sleeping brother. Back in the living room, she paused uncertainly behind the couch before creeping forward and holding out the brush, keeping her gaze on the floor.

Lady Medusa looked up at her, then sighed and motioned to the spot in front of her on the soft, plush carpeting. Maka got down on her knees and put her back to the older woman, spine straight and body stiff. Lady Medusa ran her fingers through Maka's still-wet hair, then- nothing. Maka fidgeted in place, waiting. Her shout of surprise was muffled as Medusa plucked her towel from her shoulders and threw it over her head, rubbing vigorously- but gently.

Five minutes of enthusiastic drying later, Medusa removed the towel, and then broke into laughter. Maka smiled tentatively at the sound, really not wanting to see what her head looked like at the moment. Lady Medusa ran her fingers through Maka's hair again- or tried to. It was far less successful that time. She started at the bottom and began again. Part of her hair was over her shoulder and Maka worked at it herself, using Medusa's attempts as a guide on what to do. It was... soothing.

They worked together in silence, steadily getting the ashy strands in order, and Maka didn't even notice when her shoulders relaxed and she sat more comfortably, leaning against Lady Medusa's legs, their fingers sometimes brushing as they went after a particular snag at the same time. When the greater knots were teased out, Medusa switched to the brush and ran it over the pale locks, Maka leaning into the strokes.

Maka stared at the coffee table in silence as the brush ran through her hair carefully, not pulling. Was this... was this what it was like to have a real mother? Her cheeks heated and she fought the urge to shake her head. Lady Medusa was her guardian, she was just doing her job of taking care of them. ...But it sure felt like she actually cared...

"Maka..."

She dragged her wandering attention back from the slippery slope it'd been going down and sat up a little bit straighter, "Yes?"

The stroke of the brush paused, "I wanted to apologize."

Maka tried to look back over her shoulder as well as she could without moving her head too much, "Why?" Lady Medusa had been nothing but helpful and kind since she'd come across them.

"For that last night before the end of the trip. I'm sorry about that. I had no idea your reaction to magic would be so cr- so strong." So crippling, she meant.

Maka's eyes dropped back to the off-white carpet, "It wasn't your fault. Magic... hurts. In here." She tapped her chest, "It claws and sparks like screeching metal and it hurts. It wasn't you, it's... me."

"Maka... that's not normal. I've never even heard of a reaction to magic like that. I'll ask around and see what we can find out, maybe we can stop it."

Bright green eyes met gold over her shoulder, "Could you?! Could you really... fix it?"

"I don't know. But we can try."

She faced forward again, and, after a few moments, Lady Medusa went back to brushing her hair. "Thank you."

"You're more than welcome." When her hair was done and put up in her signature ponytails, Medusa stood up and tapped her shoulder, tilting her head towards the kitchen, "Come on."

Maka got up hesitantly and followed, "What are we doing?"

The older blonde smiled back at her over her shoulder, " _We_  are going to make breakfast, since we're both already up. Get out the flour from the cupboard and we'll make some pancakes."

Maka did as told, getting out the flour container, watching as Lady Medusa opened it and pulled out a recipe card, sending her off to fetch the other ingredients as she set out bowls, measuring cups and spoons, and put a pan on the stove that was so large it took up two burners. It was strange and domestic, getting covered in flour and mixing pancake batter. Watching Medusa measure out buttermilk and cracking eggs.

The golden-blonde did it once, showing her everything, then handed the materials over so Maka could try on her own, moving off to the sink. Maka's eyes widened as Medusa ran her hand under the faucet and flicked it at the heated griddle, sending water drops skittering across the hot surface, dancing in protest.

Maka giggled at it and Medusa watched her with a smile. They set about cooking, Maka taking care of the pancakes while the Medusa handled the eggs. Maka's pancakes weren't the... roundest, and she frowned at them. When a particularly oblong one infringed upon the 'egg' half of the pan, Medusa viciously chopped that part of it off, making Maka jump. She scowled down at the younger blonde and pointed to her half of the pan, " _That_  side is for pancakes.  _This_ one-" she waved her spatula over her own half, "-is for the eggs.  _Stay on your own side._ " she waved the spatula dismissingly at the pancake side.

Maka couldn't help it, she clapped her hand over her mouth and laughed. That-that...  _snooty_  voice Lady Medusa had used, and that haughty expression was just too much. "S-s-sorry."

Medusa wasn't done, "Could you imagine the horror of having the eggs and pancakes  _touch_?"

Maka got herself under control, smiling up at the taller blonde, "Aren't we going to eat them? They'll all wind up the same place anyway."

"Don't go getting your logic in my cooking mojo."

Maka nodded solemnly, "Right, no mojo-contamination."

Medusa smiled and tugged at one of Maka's tails, "Here, let me show you how I usually make these when I'm short on time." Maka handed her the bowl, then watched as she cracked an egg -in the middle of the pan on neutral territory- then poured the pancake batter around it in a perfect circle. Maka frowned and Medusa smiled at her as she handed the bowl back, "You'll get the hang of it, it just takes practice."

"Pancake practice."

"Exactly."

It was so strange, this camaraderie. Maka had never felt anything like it before coming to the DWMA. Being with Crona wasn't camaraderie, it was her natural state of being. Being alone was only slightly tolerable, and she was prone to spending it worrying about Crona and what might happen with them apart. Never before in her life had Maka simply enjoyed spending time with someone, content in the knowledge that she and Crona were both safe. They had never  _been_  safe before.

All thanks to Lady Medusa and the other teachers. But Medusa did more than just take care of them, she seemed to  _actually_  care-  _about_  them. Maka had never had that before, either. She idly flipped a pancake and Medusa casually reached over and tucked a stray lock of Maka's hair out of her face. Her cheeks heated and she turned away a bit to hide it under the guise of pouring more batter onto the griddle.  _What is this feeling in my chest? It's warm, and... tight._

They didn't talk much, but the quiet wasn't stifling, either. The sound of the eggs sizzling away and the softer sound of the pancakes cooking was calming. This, cooking, just  _being_ _ **,**_ it was all relaxing. Her dreams felt like they were a million miles away.

The sky started lightening while they worked, turning from midnight blue to the pale gray of predawn. Fluffy white clouds licked at the horizon through the large window above the sink, not yet burned away by the heat of the sun.

By the time they were running out of batter, they had several large stacks of pancakes, and the latter ones were indeed rounder than the beginning ones had been. Maka smiled at the result, all it had taken was practice, like Lady Medusa had said. She set the last plate on the table but didn't let go of it. Her fingers just wouldn't move.

Maka didn't want to let go. She didn't want to give up this calm, quiet moment when she could remember so few in her life. She didn't want to let the world intrude on this one bit of happiness she'd managed to grasp for herself. Maka bit her lip and stared at the plate, "Lady Medusa?"

The golden-eyed woman turned to her, munching on a plain pancake, "Hmm?"

"...Could we make more?"

Medusa blinked, "More?" she glanced around significantly at the several large stacks they already had.

Maka nodded, "Y-yes. I... I like pancakes, and I definitely think we could use... more."

The older blonde's gaze sharpened on her in that way that made Maka feel flayed and raw, cut open and exposed to the world. And then it was gone, and Medusa nodded, "I don't think it'll be much trouble to make a few more. Get the ingredients back out."

Maka's smile was luminous and she let out a breath of relief as she turned away, only half-noticing the absolutely flabbergasted look on Medusa's face. They made more batter and cooked a little longer, munching on all of Maka's deformed first attempts at pancaking to hide the evidence. When they were done it was nearly time for normal human beings to wake up and they did the dishes together companionably, Medusa washing while Maka rinsed and dried.

Lady Medusa apparently got tired of the silence and began to hum. Maka froze on the spot, staring ahead. The tune wasn't one she recognized, exactly, but it sounded so familiar... and so comforting. She relaxed with a soft exhale and rised the next dish. After a few minutes, fairly sure she had the idea of it, Maka started humming back. Medusa hesitated for only an instant before looking at her and smiling as she continued. She ran through a section of the song again whenever Maka faltered, and together they built the tune, sharing the birth of a new morning.

The sun still hadn't quite risen enough to be seen, but it colored the horizon orange- and painted every cloud in the sky a bright, hot pink that took Maka's breath away to see. Pink against blue, rising to a still-gray far above, and orange below that spread out over the tan ground. It was beautiful.

Maka looked down and smiled gently as she dried the bowl next to Medusa. Maybe that's what the feeling in her chest was. It felt very much like what a mother would do: teaching how to make pancakes. Brushing their child's hair. Comforting them after a nightmare- even if it was by cooking.

It was a feeling Maka thought she could get used to, and that was a scary thought. But she pushed past it: she was making a new beginning.

"M-Maka?" She spun around as Crona slunk into the room, staring wide-eyed at all the pancakes and eggs they'd made. "Wh-what is all this?"

Maka looked around and realized just how  _much_  food they'd made without thinking about it. They'd be having eggs and pancakes for breakfast and dinner the next three days at least. She smiled and rubbed the back of her head, "...We made breakfast?"

323232


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have done the impossible! As of this chapter, I am officially one month ahead on Silver chapters (for the first time ever). Also: I am extremely disappointed in all of you who haven't voted yet. I've gotten all of three votes, and we're completely tied. If you want to see your favorite secondary pairing, vote for it! (I will not accept anonymous reviews as votes as it's too easy to cheat that way.) Feel free to guess the Mystery Man and Ragnarok's three other Team Mates, you have until Chapter 37, when they'll all be revealed.
> 
> For my AO3 Readers:  
> In Blood Red Silver, what should my secondary pairings be?
> 
> Tsubaki\Liz (Kid\Blackstar) 
> 
> Liz\Mystery Man (Blackstar\Tsubaki, Kid\No one)
> 
> None of them paired up

333333

Maka stopped in the middle of the cafeteria at the soul wavelength equivalent to a high-pitched whistle. Soul smirked from the table he sat at alone- with two trays, one of which had two apples on it. Maka tilted her head in question, uncertain if he was honestly inviting her to sit with him. The white haired teen just grinned ferally and held up a hand, cocking a finger her way in a 'come here' motion.

It wasn't like she'd had other seating arrangements planned, so Maka didn't hesitate to answer, sliding into place right next to Soul. She paused for a moment at how she wouldn't have done that before the camping trip. Maka never would have chosen the spot right next to him when the whole rest of the table was open, she'd have sat as far away as she could dare, purposefully distancing herself if she'd have sat at the table at all. But that was Before, and things had changed since then-  _Maka_  had changed since then. It wasn't even that she was forcing herself to sit close like she would have determinedly sat apart, she just felt more comfortable closer to Soul than sitting further away from him.

Maka was surprised that she  _wasn't_  surprised when she saw all her favorite cafeteria foods on the tray, even the ones that she'd never spoken about like she had the apples.

Soul frowned when he noticed her lunch box, "I didn't realize you'd brought your own lunch."

She shook her head and held it out, "I... made breakfast. But I don't think I want it for lunch, too. Would you like it?"

"You're... giving me a home-made lunch?"

Maka nodded, cheeks heating, "Uh-huh."

"Thanks, Maka." He paused, taking the box with far more care than it warranted, "Really."

Maka looked over at Soul's own sparse tray. It was notable for the conspicuous lack of content, including his own piece of fruit. Maka picked up one of the apples gingerly, not able to look over at him, "No, thank  _you_."

She felt his shrug, "It was nothing."

That made her smile and she looked over to catch his eye, "Not to me." She playfully stuck out her tongue before starting in on her lunch while Soul chuckled at her.

They both looked up when Ragnarok approached, surprising Maka since he always ate at his own table with the others from his Level. He'd invited Crona over, but had never yet come over to dine with the 'firsties'. Others sat in mixed groups -both Levels used the same lunchroom, those taking the NOT classes outnumbering all of them in the EAT ones- but most stuck with their own Level-mates, and the Second-Levels especially usually didn't look beyond their four-person teams. Enough mixed that it wasn't too suspicious, but it was still odd for him to be there, if not immediately recognizable as so to others. She sent him a questioning glance that asked without having to speak to be heard.

Ragnarok looked away as he sat down, "Am I not allowed to sit where I want? Crona said I could sit here if I wanted to."

Maka doubted that he was sitting with them just because he wanted to, but didn't push the issue, turning back to her own meal. She noticed, though, the older teen's immediate response as Crona stepped into the cafeteria, zeroing in instantly on her brother with a laser-like focus that made her want to frown, and she purposefully looked away. Soul noticed the tension and plucked the apple from her hand before she bruised it with her tightening grip, cleanly splitting it for her and handing it back. Maka glanced at him questioningly but he just shrugged and poked at... something or other that jiggled on his abandoned tray, soul wavelength ringing with 'calm' waves.

She sighed as she realized he'd distracted her on purpose with the show of chivalry. She huffed through her nose and stuck her tongue back out at him again before turning away, feeling him relax since she was. Her attention was caught by her brother the very instant Aiden grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up so his toes barely touched the floor.

Both Soul and Ragnarok started shooting to their feet. She stopped them both, though differently. Soul froze half-way to his feet as she sent a warning buzz through her soul wavelength and Maka didn't even look over at him, trusting him to trust her, even when he didn't have a complete grasp on the situation. The white-haired boy slowly sank back into his seat, soul curious but calm, putting complete faith on whatever her take on the scene was.

Ragnarok was chained where he stood as her hand shot out with all the swiftness and accuracy of a viper for his wrist, holding him in place with a surprising strength. Her emerald gaze pinned him to the spot like a butterfly to a board, jewel-like eyes boring into him, "Don't."

"Crona-"

"Can take care of himself. We're missing social skills, not fighting ability." She frowned, "Don't coddle him."

The silver-eyed teen's fingers twitched with the obvious urge to Manifest. Aiden was even taller than Ragnarok himself, if not quite as muscled. Crona wouldn't stand a chance against him! "I'm not-"

"You are. Stop it. Crona doesn't need coddled. He isn't a glass figure to be looked at and put on a safe shelf. Stand beside him, not in front of him. When he needs you, you'll know. Trust me: trust Crona."

"I..."

Her grip tightened and he winced, looking at her more thoroughly. Just what gave such a small girl such strength? Something wasn't...

"We spoke to Lady Medusa, we know the rules now. Trust. Him."

Silver eyes flicked to the other male at the table, Soul calmly shrugged and plopped his chin in his hand to watch the fun, "He's her brother, she knows him best." Ragnarok's hands fisted and he carefully placed them against the tabletop, but wasn't able to force himself to sit back down, his back a straight line of worried tension. Maka let him go and took her own seat, turning her attention from the conflicted teen at her side to her brother and the short-haired brunet that held him.

* * *

Crona hadn't even been paying attention to Aiden's ranting at him, too nervously worried about Ragnarok's reaction. When he saw his partner staying at the table with Maka, his face blanked, his soul settling into a calmer rhythm as he let out a soft breath of relief. The pinkette finally gave the one holding him his full focus, still not listening to the words aimed his way. Maka trusted Lady Medusa's word on their ability to protect themselves without reproach, and he trusted his sister's judgment.

Crona didn't know how to react to this situation socially, but he didn't have to. He may not have known how to deal with a bully... but he knew exactly how to deal with an enemy. Thinking he was helpless simply because he wasn't grounded was a mistake on his opponent's part. As if Crona had never before found himself at the nonexistent mercy of someone who towered over him in height. He wasn't going to wait for the other to finish whatever he was talking about and attack him, wasn't going to give him opening advantage. The huge teen held him by his collar with his left hand so that he'd be able to strike out with his dominant right.

Crona closed his eyes for a moment, feeling himself sink into that wonderful dark place deep inside of himself where he could hear Maka's voice humming a soft, voiceless melody that sang of violence and retribution, and the darkness answered. Crona opened his eyes and struck.

The wrist that held him aloft wasn't locked properly. His hand snapped out in a blink and struck the joint with his own left hand, causing the grip to go slack and drop him to his feet. In a continuation of the move, he grabbed his opponent's limp wrist with his left hand, his right shooting out to cup under the other teen's chin, feeling the vibration of his exclamation of pain and surprise. The pinkette pushed back with the hand on the other's chin at the same time as he pulled with his left, disrupting his enemy's balance, then he swept out with his right foot, sweeping the taller teen's feet out from under him and landing him sharply on his back in almost the exact spot he'd occupied standing.

The sound of Aiden's head hitting the floor seemed to echo in the sudden hush of the room, and the actions of the next second made the silence so profound a pin could have been heard dropping from the other end of the cafeteria. In the instant the taller teen's head hit the floor, Crona already had his foot on the criminal wrist and was poised to break it at a moment's notice, his sword Materialized and held just above and between his enemy's eyes.

The black blade twitched downward, aimed to end it, the darkness inside singing with longing to finish off the one who'd dared to threaten him- until a sharp note cut through the dark melody like sunlight through shadow, turning into a soothing lullaby. At the last possible moment, Crona diverted the strike and watched apathetically as his sword imbedded itself into the floor  _just_  beside his target's head, a rill of blood seeping from the shallow, barely-there cut on Aiden's cheek.

Startled and terrified brown eyes stared up at him for timeless heartbeats, not daring to breathe. Crona reversed his grip on the hilt of his weapon and heaved it from where it rested like the sword in the stone, flipping his hold around so quick the blade didn't even fumble, and flicked it to the side to relieve it of the drops of blood that clung to the edge. Then the pinkette Demanifested and walked away to get his lunch, smiling shyly towards where Ragnarok and Maka were.

The silence of the room was broken only by his footsteps and the panicked ones of those who shuffled to get out of his path as he moved. Then Medusa turned back to Mifune at the teachers' table and asked him a question about how the classes had managed in their absence and he answered calmly. The rest of the students took their cues from the faculty and unfroze, hesitantly at first before gaining momentum; life proceeding onward again.

Maka unhurriedly raised a bite of oatmeal to her mouth and swallowed, Ragnarok still paralyzed next to her. She didn't look at him as she spoke, "You're still invited to sit with us. Crona doesn't want you for a protector: he wants you as a friend. He likes you- a lot. I like you, too. We don't need someone to keep us safe, we need people who  _understand_. If you can handle that."

The tan teen finally began breathing again, his hands carefully uncurled to lay flat against the table. When Maka looked up at him, his silver gaze was trained on Crona with an intensity that she hadn't seen since he'd pinned her to the hallway wall and tried to divine her motives- and he was smirking fiercely as his eyes devoured her brother.

333333


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New KidStar drabble up if you want to check that out.
> 
> And the thanks this week again goes out to ChessSilven on AO3 for mentioning two certain characters this chapter in the same paragraph and asked about a background Phred the Plot Bunny was more than happy to supply on the spot.
> 
> I hope you are all ready for the three-chapter emotional rollar coaster beginning with this chapter.
> 
> Thank you so much, all my wonderful readers, for everything you do; I wouldn't be able to do this without you. *bows*

343434

Maka turned around with her books in her arms and shook her head. She really probably should have been more surprised to see Ragnarok waiting for them. He grinned their way and Maka wasn't oblivious to the light blush darkening Crona's face. She closed her eyes and accepted it, then opened them and tried smiling at Ragnarok, "Was there something you needed?"

"Yeah, I was wondering- I mean... You wanna head out into the city for a bit? My treat."

Crona shifted in place, moving closer to Maka. They were getting better at being apart for increasing distances and lengths of time, but the distance between 'out in the city' and the school itself was a massive space of at least a couple dozen miles. "M-Maka, too?"

Maka was surprised when Ragnarok didn't show even a hint of disappointment, smirking at the both of them, "Naturally."

Crona's smile seemed to work better than her attempt had been, "Okay..."

Maka let her mind drift as she almost naturally fell into step with Ragnarok, Crona between them. She remembered when she'd counted the days from when they were taken from their home- no, their house. That place had never been a home. But now... now the days faded together as the weeks passed, so many new memories helping put distance between them and the old ones. There was too much to learn, too much to do, to dwell on the past constantly even if they'd wanted to.

Learning to fine-tune their weapon abilities, learning about soul working, the history of the school and the Witches and Weapon Meisters within, a dozen new fighting forms to study.  _And_ , she thought with a faint, genuine smile,  _friends to make._

Maka shook her head to bring herself out of her thoughts, listening as Ragnarok droned on about the city sights they passed. She should be taking in the views, not getting lost in thought. Neither of them had gotten a chance to really explore the city yet. Their entire first month before the school term had been spent just getting used to their new life and exploring the school- which was so massive they  _still_  hadn't had a chance to map it out completely. And the only times they'd gone out, it had been out into the wilderness where Little One wouldn't cause any (excessive) damage.

...And maybe also because neither of them had been prepared for the sheer number of  _people_  in Death City. It was a strange thing to Maka. When they'd been children, even taken to the rings where so many other Meisters gathered, they were  _things_ , dangerous, leashed. Here, Weapons walked around like any other person. No one seemed ostracized, no one looked terrified at the potentially dangerous beings in their midst.

Death City wasn't like any place Maka had ever been before. Here, their abilities were an  _asset_.

"And here's our destination: Deathbucks."

Maka looked up at the modest cafe as Ragnarok pushed open the door with one hand for them. It was a lively sort of place, not overcrowded, but not struggling, either. It was... homey. "I like it." They got a table by the window and ordered some of the 'famous' coffee drinks and small confections to go with them. Maka glanced outside, "This place is so strange."

"Well, people do come here to see Death Weapon Meisters in action."

That made her blink and turn back to him, "They do?"

"Take this cafe for example, all the waiters and waitresses? Working part-time from the academy. Mostly all Firsties who spent beyond their means."

"Why only First-Levels?"

"Because we Second-Level can just take on missions if we're strapped for cash. I'm sure you've been given the lecture that that's too dangerous for the First-Levels."

The expression on Maka's face could have been called a pout by a brave or suicidal soul had she not hidden it behind the lip of her just-delivered coffee drink. Her eyes widened, "Wow, this is so good." It was like a cross between iced coffee and a root beer float.

The slices of cake they each got were just as delicious and Maka mentally marked Deathbucks cafe on the map in her head. She was coming here again.

"W-was there a special reason you inv-vited us?" Crona asked, nibbling nervously on the tines of his fork.

Ragnarok shrugged, "Kinda, I suppose. I just wanted a last chance to talk and hang out. My team's going out on a mission tomorrow morning and it'll take several days at the least, more likely a week."

Crona looked out the window towards the clear sky and smiled, "Th-thank you. It's really... really lovely."

Ragnarok stared at her brother for several seconds, eyes wide, before looking away himself, and, if Maka wasn't mistaken, his cheeks were just a bit darker, "Ah, it's nothin' much. C'mon, I'll walk you two back to the school and tell you about all the side streets and stuff so you don't get lost if you decide to come back out here while I'm gone." He stood up and went over to the bar to pay and led them outside. "So, I was wondering-"

Maka and Crona both blinked at the empty space that their guide had just occupied, eyes drifting over to where he wound up. Ragnarok had been cut off mid-sentence, tackled from the side and sent tumbling out into the middle of the street. The other person was at least as tall and muscled as he was, which marked them more than likely as male. The two tussled right there in the middle of the road, grappling like experts, trying to put one another into choke-holds.

The scuffle didn't last very long before Ragnarok emerged apparently victorious, leaning all his weight on his opponent's back as he put him in a head-lock, "Nice to... see you, too." He grunted, even as powerful as he was, struggling to keep his grip on the other male, "Now, what do we say?"

"Get- off! You, nng, fat bastard. Heavy!"

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say. You'll hurt my tender self-image."

The other's legs thrashed like a three-year old as he struggled, "GODDAMMITSHIT!" He went limp, "I... surrender."

Ragnarok let him up and the other jumped to his feet, shoving him forward. He stood up with a grin and laugh, "See, was that so hard?"

"Screw you."

He brushed himself off and walked back over to them. Maka and Crona both startled in place as a very muscular tanned arm threw itself over Ragnarok's shoulders. The other male, of course, with a smile on his face as if he hadn't attacked Ragnarok in the middle of the street.

"So, this is where you've been running off to."

Crona stared at the newcomer, who was taller than Ragnarok was - _He must be even taller than Aiden..._ \- short-cropped hair that left his  _pointed_  ears open to display. "Wh-who's this, Ragnarok?" The 'that he could tackle you openly and not end up with a broken face' left unspoken.

Ragnarok reached up and curled his hand around the taller male's neck over his shoulder... then heaved forward, sending the new guy sprawling to the ground in front of him, Maka and Crona jumping back to avoid him. New Guy jumped up, facing the shorter male in a wrestler's ready stance, apparently more than eager to restart their little match, and launched himself forward. Ragnarok caught his reckless rush in a reverse head-lock -Maka thought he might need to learn a bit more forethought- and looked up at them with a grin when he finally got about to answering them. "He's my brother."

"Brother?!"

New Guy struggled valiantly -both of them giving ground and landing glancing blows that still had Ragnarok grunting as he tried to keep his footing- but ultimately fruitlessly as Ragnarok slipped his right foot forward, knocking the other's feet out from under him, and pitched backwards, smothering his supposed brother's face between his side and the ground, "Step-brother, sort of. Not so different from you two, actually. We're both wards of the school. Only I became a Meister while Free, here-" he tilted his head to indicate the massive struggling form wriggling in his grip, "-is a student-teacher."

The newly identified Free finally slapped the ground several times in the universal signal of 'I give!' and Ragnarok let go, holding his hands up to show non-hostility. Free panted for air while Crona smiled and shook his head. Maka was more interested, however, in the fact that he  _was_  new, "How come we haven't seen him before?"

"That's simple."

Free finally turned around- revealing he only had one natural eye. Maka gasped and felt the world slow to a stop, her entire focus narrowed down to the pentacle in his otherwise white eye. Ragnarok's words echoed through her mind.  _"Look at the Kishin compared to the people that pass by on the streets, the ones that use children, that walk away when a mother cuts her child, that turn up the volume to cover the screams coming from the apartment next door; and tell me: who are the real monsters?"_

She startled out of her reverie when Ragnarok touched her shoulder, "Hey, you okay, there?"

Maka nodded, "Y-yeah. Sorry, I didn't hear what you were saying."

Free gave her a friendly smile over his brother's shoulder, "He said that the reason you haven't seen me is because I help teach the Magic classes. I may not look like much at the moment, but I'm actually a werewolf, and this eye-" he closed said eye and tapped on the eyelid, "-is magical."

"W-werewolf?"

Free scratched the back of his head, "Oh, don't look so scared. It's not like I bite or anything. Real Werewolves are nothing like stories I'm sure you've read. We don't need the moon to transform or anything, and we don't lose control in our wereforms."

Ragnarok smirked and elbowed him in the side, "No: you can mess up entirely on your own without your wolf form."

"Shut up." Free elbowed him right back, and it of course turned into a shoving contest. Maka sweatdropped at the two, sensing a pattern here as they both pushed.

Ragnarok grinned, getting right in his brother's face as he tried to shove him backwards more than he was being moved, "You wanna go, Jack Frost, or should I save you the embarrassment?"

Free jumped back, hands out at his sides, "Bring it on!"

His brother beamed and held out his own hand, the glow of Manifestation appearing-

"Not outside my store."

Both of the Second-Levels froze and Maka stared at them curiously, wondering at the sudden meekness in their body language as they both turned and bowed, "Yes, Master."

Maka glanced over her shoulder and noticed the cafe owner who'd been behind the bar standing at the door giving them a stern look, but nothing that should terrify two upper-Levels. He nodded before going back inside- and Free and Ragnarok both let out relieved sighs.

Ragnarok straightened and pointed over his shoulder, "C'mon, let's get back." He turned to Free, "Why'd you even come hunting for me?"

The werewolf facepalmed, "You were gone for three days without warning even your team, and you're wondering why I decided to track you down?"

"Oh, but... I didn't have to tell them, did I? No, wait, they weren't in the cafeteria that day... were they?"

Free got behind his brother and started pushing, "You are something else. Now  _walk_!"

"I'm going, I'm going. Jeez! Crona, Maka?"

Maka waved them off as her brother looked at her questioningly, "You guys go on without me. I'm going to take the long way and peek around a bit."

"Watch out for curfew, Firsty."

Maka's hand twitched in the air at the epithet, smile freezing on her face. Crona stepped up next to Ragnarok and urged him on- away from Maka and her temper. She sighed and let her arm drop as they rounded a corner, taking another street. It was functionally impossible to lose her way when the towering form of the school could be seen from any point in the city. She stopped in the middle of a side-alley and stared up at it backlit against an amber sky.

Maka blew out a breath, flinching in place when a high-pitched barking started up near-by. She spun and saw a small white dog zeroed in on her, stepping closer and barking louder. She backed up a step, shiver running through her whole body. The little white thing advanced, and Maka's head fell forward, shadowing her eyes from the late-afternoon sunlight.

 _Even here? Even now?_  Maka hated dogs. She hated them. How they barked, how they howled, the way they smelled. She hated them all.  _I wish they would all just die..._

Her hands tightened into fists.  _No! I won't take it anymore, I_ _ **won't**_ _!_

A high-pitch yelp echoed through the alley as the small dog flew through the air, crashing into a brace of iron rods that collapsed on it. Maka turned around sharply and froze in place at the crimson eyes staring at her as if they'd never seen her before, "M-Maka? Wh-what the hell?!"

_Soul..._

343434

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *holds up hands* Wait! Give Maka a chance, don't hate her for one action after sticking with her for so long.


	35. Chapter 35

353535

Medusa had gone through far too much in her life to miss the quivering presence in the far entrance of the room. She waited patiently, but after several minutes of quietly reading the diary while watching her visitor from the corner of her eye, she figured it was best to acknowledge them, "Yes, Crona? Is there something I can do for you?"

The pink haired boy jerked in place and began frantically shaking his head, "Oh, no, I didn't mean to be a bother! I'm sorry!"

"You're not a bother. What are you doing up so late?"

He shifted in place, left hand coming up to clutch at his right arm as he looked away, "I just... Maka's having a nightmare." She began to get up when he put both hands out and frantically waved them back and forth, "No! I mean- she... she can't be touched when it happens, and she doesn't like me watching her... hurt. So I- I... I came out to- to..."

"Help the time pass."

He looked away again and went back to holding himself, "Yes..."

Medusa's heart clenched.  _Oh, baby... how many years have you had to hug yourself because there was no one else to do it?_  The golden blonde put the diary aside and picked up the bottle of nail polish she'd forgotten when she'd become too absorbed in the past, "Would you like to come join me on the couch here?"

He wavered back and forth, shifting from foot to foot, "I guess. I mean- if it doesn't-"

She smiled at him, "I'm not bothered, Crona. Come sit with me. I could use some help anyway." He crept out from the shadow of the hallway and into the living room proper, inching closer and sitting on the couch as far as he could possibly get from her while still technically being on the same piece of furniture. Her smile was genuine and honestly amused that time as she glanced over at him, "You can come closer if you'd like. I promise I don't bite." He crept closer by increments and when he was finally on the cushion next to hers, she smirked, "Much." she added before audibly snapping her teeth together.

Instead of flinching away like she more than half expected him to, Crona smiled back and let out a short, cute little giggle. The moment Crona relaxed was a visible thing. Before, his whole body was rigid, shoulders tensed, hunched, leaned back warily; always waiting for the next strike to come at him and ready to curl up defensively in an instant. Then his entire form just melted back against the back of the sofa, shoulders lowering and leaning forward a little, even daring to place a foot on the cushion so he could hook his threaded fingers around his knee, head tilted like a puppy, "You sound like Maka."

" _I_  am going to take that as a compliment. It was meant as one, right?"

Crona nodded enthusiastically, "The best!"

She chuckled and shook the bottle again, "I thought so. So, would you like to help me and learn how to paint nails?"

He leaned forward just a little, still firmly within the bounds of his own square of cloth-covered foam, "Paint?"

She hummed and held the bottle of black polish out to him and the light, "Uh-huh. I just finished cleaning them earlier and need to refresh them. I always have a little trouble with my non-dominant hand, though. So would you like to learn?"

"O-okay."

She jerked her head, "Come closer, then. This takes practice, concentration, and hand's-on teaching. I'll show you how to do it, then you try, okay?"

"Okay..." He scooted closer, until they were almost side-by-side.

Carefully, slowly, fully conscious of just how fragile the trust was on which she was building, Medusa closed the space between them and put her arm around Crona, drawing him closer as if she were sharing a secret. The pink haired boy completely stiffened in her hold like a statue, not daring to move a muscle. If he were any tenser, Medusa was certain he'd have fractured in her arms. Instead of giving him space, pulling away from him, she hummed softly under her breath.

Crona's head whipped up so fast he'd have smacked her on the chin if she hadn't raised her head, "Wh-where did you learn that?"

Medusa had a feeling she knew exactly where  _he'd_  heard the tune before, "It's a lullaby my best friend used to sing to me when I was upset. She had an amazing voice and talent for singing. I always mangled it when I tried the same, but I can hum pretty well." He was quiet for several minutes and she began humming again. Medusa let the matter rest for the time it took her to hum the whole thing once, then held her palm out, "Hand?" Something inside Medusa stilled and she breathed in sharply when Crona placed his hand trustingly in hers.

Dark eyes looked up at her questioningly, but she just smiled down at him and opened the bottle of black, balancing it on her thigh expertly while she held his hand with her left and swiped the brush over his nails with her right, not missing a bit or fumbling at all with long years of practice under her belt. When his hand was finished and the pink haired teen admiring the way they shone in the light, she moved away just enough to be able to take care of her own, their sides still pressed together.

Crona looked at her again and she shrugged, "I'd let you practice on my toes, too, but I don't even use separators because I wiggle them so much they just get in the way. Even if you had the steadiest hand, I'd probably wind up with all-black toes." she demonstrated the way she could wiggle all her toes individually and at once as her new pupil watched wide-eyed. When she was done, Medusa handed him the bottle, "Here you go. Just be very careful not to get this polish in any open wounds or mucus membranes until it's dry."

"Why?"

An actual question: she was making progress! "You see the rainbow shine our nails have?" Crona held his hand up to the light and nodded, the multihued shimmer looking like nothing so much as the rainbow effect light had on spilled oil, "It's because I make this polish myself, and I use snake venom. I just love what it does to the color, and it's perfectly safe- when it's dry."

Once again surprising her: instead of being repelled as she thought he would be, Crona just nodded and carefully -almost reverently- opened the bottle. Medusa leaned her head against his as she let him paint her finger nails. She couldn't help smiling at the intense focus he put into it, excruciatingly careful to cover each nail entirely without getting any on her skin. His face reminded her very much of the same one Kami would make when they used to do each other's nails back during their school years. Her best friend always had complained about her overwhelming love of the color black, and now she was imbuing Kami's children with that same 'affliction'. Medusa wanted to snicker at the thought of the other blonde's reaction to such news.

Crona finished her hands, then did his remaining one before handing the bottle back to her and being careful not to get the wet polish on the upholstery. Medusa had no such compunctions, going cross-legged without a care if she smeared black across the cushions as she turned so she could reach Crona's toes before he could pull away. He squeaked in a way that made her want to just hug him as she plucked his foot from the couch to gain access to her targets. It was very tempting to run a nail across his instep to see if he was as ticklish and squirmy as Kami used to be, but Medusa restrained herself admirably.

Instead, she chose to distract him while she worked so he wouldn't wiggle around too much, "Is there anything you'd like to ask me, Crona?" She didn't even have to look up to see his head-shake, "It's okay, I don't really care how personal it is. I took you in, after all, you're essentially mine. You deserve to know whatever you'd like about the person taking care of you."

"Um... w-well..."

"Okay then, how about I just start talking, and you can just stop me anywhere and ask about the parts that interest you?"

"O-okay."

"Hmm. Well... Let's see. I'm a natural blonde." She grinned up at him before going back to her task, "I'm a Witch. The Snake Witch to be exact, and the one-time apprentice of Lord Death. Not that I was practicing to be Lady Death or anything, but we needed something to tell all the old windbags when Lord Death took me in all those years ago."

"T-took you in? Y-you were-"

"Like you and Maka? In a way. I imagine we have more in common than you'd think- and yet probably even more different."

"What... what was it like?"

"What? Living with Lord Death? Or do you mean before?"

"...before."

"Before, hmm? I'm sure you must have heard of this in classes since it's such recent history, but Witches used to be killed on sight. Our souls were prone to being steeped in dark power from our Arts, and, combined with the swirling chaos of ninety-nine Kishin souls, the final stepping stone to pushing a Death Weapon Meister that final step to becoming an Ultimate Weapon. No one seemed to have any issue with it: killing Witches. We were considered as evil as the Kishin. Growing up in that time, you had to understand that the Reaper and his Weapons were like bogeymen for us: not caring who you were, your age; all that mattered was you had the taint of magic on you and it was a death sentence.

"Even with the instinctual magic of Soul Protect to hide you, we lived in a constant state of fear, terrified of being found out and killed for something we had no control over. That's why so many Witches lived alone out in the wilderness: less chance of trusting someone that shouldn't be and being turned in for the 'well-being of the public'. Few had a  _choice_  about using their magic for Shadow Practices. We were in the middle of a war we hadn't even started- or at least that none of us younger generation had any choice about.

"It was into this world I was born, a soldier in a fight I didn't care about. My mother- well... She wasn't much of one, but it wasn't like I knew anything different. She wasn't looking for daughters so much as a worthy apprentice to take up her powers and cause when she died. And her thoughts on the matter were thus: the more she had, the better chance she had of finding a worthy one. I already had one older sister when I was born, and we hated each other from the first: opponents in the war to gain our mother's attention, and then she had another daughter after me.

"None of us knew our fathers, our mother probably used some love spell or potion on the poor saps in the first place just for the purpose of having us. I have no doubt they'd have been strong, she probably wouldn't have set her sights on them unless there was a good chance of having powerful daughters from the encounters. Though it's fairly apparent that at least my father must have been a Weapon Meister or had the line for it, given my whip.

"You would think I'd hate her: for pitting me against my sisters in a world that already left no ally for any of us, for  _being_  my mother when I was a Weapon, too, for taking away that chance at friends and allies and a life if it just wasn't for the taint of magic running through my veins. But to be honest, I never knew my mother well enough to hate her. She died shortly after the birth of my younger sister and I was set adrift in the world. My older sister, by virtue of being so much older and more powerful than me at the time, took over everything Mother had been working on. I wonder to this day if she didn't have something to do with her death to ensure she won the race. We were no longer threats to her position, but my hatred was too ingrained by then for me to ever consider sticking around. So I set out on my own.

"I was a child, a Witch, a Weapon. All I knew of the world was that it hated me for simply being born. I knew that every face I saw was a threat to my life or a rival for survival. I knew basics, and there's a great deal Witches learn about magic just from instinct, but that meant nothing on cobblestone streets with towering buildings where animals fled and no plants grew. It was so long ago, I honestly can't remember how in the world I managed to survive as long as I did. But I remember sitting in an alleyway with my knees drawn up, staring at my arms that were so thin I could see the bones through my skin. I hadn't eaten in weeks, I had no strength. All I had was the complete burning hatred I felt for the world around me, that scorned me as it did, that cursed me to dying in a dirty alley for something I hadn't even done. I hated every person that passed me by like I wasn't even there, like I meant nothing, like I was less than the garbage at their feet.

"I  _refused_ \- refused to let such a painful, suffering world win, to kill me. I refused to surrender to my unjust fate. So I got up on shaking legs, and I walked out of that alleyway. I remembered a woman up the street, an herbalist, a healer. She was a stern woman, she didn't give out charity, she believed in working for what you got. I had no strength, I walked all the way up that hill on the power of my determination alone, and I knocked on her door. I told her that I could work, that I could heal people. It went against everything I'd ever been taught: a Witch showing herself, using her magic on someone who wasn't herself or family. But at that point, I couldn't have cared less. If she turned me in, if she turned me away, either way I was dead. But I wouldn't just give in without a fight. So I bartered my powers. In exchange for food and a place to sleep, I told her I was a Witch.

"I don't think she believed me at first. Threatened me again and again that if she fed me and gave me a bed and if I was gone in the morning that she'd hunt me down no matter how far I went. To this day I'm not sure which surprised her more: that I was there in the morning when she came to check on me, or that I'd been telling the truth. So she took me in and taught me about herbs and healing- the kind without magic. She fed me, taught me, clothed me- showed me what it was like to have a mother. She was stern, old, didn't forgive anything, but I respected her and there was an affection between us. I could have lived my life there, happy. With my Weapon powers, I went out and hunted when Kishin got too close, protecting the only home I knew. She was respected,  _so_  respected, like I couldn't ever have known.

"Like I said, she was old. The winter had been hard on her lungs and she'd been coughing up blood since the previous fall. I always said she'd live forever because she was just too stubborn to die. I was still just a child, but I'd been taking over all her patients. My Soul Protect was still strong, so no one questioned me, no one knew I was a Witch. She was too well known and trusted for it to ever cross their minds. I was just an eccentric child with exceptional healing abilities. No one questioned when I started treating them more than she did, when she took to staying in bed. I was worried, but it was one of those concerns you push to the back of your mind because it cripples you when you think too much on it.

"But she finally gave up and called me to her, told me she was dying but expecting a special guest, I reminded her that she was too stubborn to die. She laughed, said that was why she'd taken me in: a little ghost-waif off the streets, more bone than meat- because I was just like her: too stubborn to give in and die. She made me promise to remember that. When the door was knocked on, I went to get it, and there in the doorway of the little hovel I'd called home, stood the lord of the dead. Everything I'd ever heard when my mother was alive came back to me in a rush, the power he held, the pure unfeeling judgment against all Witches, his Weapons dispatched to kill us in droves.

"But all I could see at that moment was a man, a man who had come to take from me the only woman who had ever cared about me, the woman I wished had been my mother. Here was the person that had cost me all the pain and torment in my short life, come to personally take the one good thing I had left. I snapped. I didn't care about being found out, I attacked him, shattered my Soul Protect. Magic and Weapon abilities alike, I threw my everything at him. I'm sure I shouted about him trying to take my mother, but it was so long ago now and such a charged moment it's hard to recall everything.

"I was no match, of course. And back then... that was before Lord Death took on his more... friendly appearance that he has now. I was going to die, there was no other outcome. But I didn't care, because he wasn't getting to my mother without going through me. Then..." she couldn't help the fond smile, "Then she came out of her bedroom. This small old woman who'd been unable to move all that winter, walked out of that room looking like she'd lost fifty years. I stopped my attack- I could hardly keep fighting and pick my jaw off the ground at the same time. She was beautiful, and she smiled at me, curtsying to Lord Death. She invited him in and offered him tea, a soul so strong that it had physical form after death. Then she asked him to look after me. Like that was possible after I'd just tried to attack him, like I wasn't the very thing he and his Weapons hunted. And Lord Death looked between us, and he offered me a place to stay. Because... because everyone deserves that chance, every child deserves a place where they can feel at home and cared for, and he offered me that."

Medusa had finished with Crona's nails halfway into the story, and she found herself surprised to come out of her reverie and see the young teen curled up against her side, pink locks spilled out across her lap as he dozed, using her as a pillow. She ran her hand over the silken strands, petting them. A warm, fierce feeling welled up inside her at the simple trust he placed in her to watch over him as he slept and her grip tightened just slightly.  _And I'll offer the same to you and Maka. Not just for Kami, but for you, because you deserve the same chance I was given all those years ago._

353535

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now that we're finally at this chapter, I can give you the pre-timeline of how this particular AU's universe came to be (in so far as it won't spoil future chapters, of course).
> 
> Main Differences from Canon - Pre-story Timeline
> 
> When Medusa was young, just after the birth of Shaula, her mother died (via Arachne or naturally), and she was sent to die on the streets, where she wouldn't pose a threat to Arachne's schemes.
> 
> Instead of dying, she survived, became the apprentice of a Healer, and eventually got taken in by Shibusen. Away from her mother and sister's schemes, Medusa grows up completely different.
> 
> (Personal theory: Medusa wasn't always evil in canon, and Crona is the result of a rape. Theory based off the Grecian Medusa Myth.)
> 
> Without Medusa's influence, Arachne's experiment to create Demon Weapons instead created Meisters who could draw the Weapons of their soul from their own bodies.
> 
> Ragnarok, born into this world without the ability to transform into a weapon, is not melted down and mixed with Canon Black Blood to make Crona's weapon.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna remove the poll since I don't foresee any great changes at this point. So the vote tally up as follows:
> 
> Het - 5
> 
> Gay - 8
> 
> None - 3
> 
> I am sincerely sorry for the three people that want No Pairings.
> 
> For the others, I hope that after sticking with me for so long, you'll still trust me to write even a pairing you didn't vote for in a way that you'll love. (Honestly, my pre-Silver Crags-shippers, where ya at and who have I converted?)
> 
> Next chapter might be delayed because of personal and writing issues (and because the result of the poll needs acknowledged in writing so I need to plot that). Thank you everyone and here's the chapter with Maka's puppy-kicking validation at last~

363636

_Maka ran._

_All she could feel was her heartbeat pounding in her chest, her feet hitting the ground again and again, the air searing her throat as she panted. It wasn't enough, it was never enough. She could hear them behind her, feel their heated breath on the back of her neck, hear the howls of joy as the pack chased her._

_**Run. Run. Run! Faster!** _

_She closed her eyes and pumped her short legs harder, small fist clinging to her only protection -a letter-opener- so hard it imprinted itself in her palm. She had to escape. Escape the pack, escape the barking, the howls, escape her mother's laughter. No matter how hard, how fast she ran, it was never enough._

_"Do you like doggies, Maka? Would you like to play with doggies? Let's play with doggies."_

_**I don't want to play; I hate dogs!** _

_She ran harder. Maka didn't know how long she ran, how long she kept ahead. Hours, at least. The sky was already faded to a deep orange. She fell and got up again, tripped and righted herself. Pushed herself harder, faster, ignoring the scrapes and cuts she accumulated. But no matter how fast she moved, how far she ran, she could still hear them behind her, gaining, waiting,_ _**hunting** _ _her._

_The trees reached for the sky like jagged black claws, leafless, with nothing to hide her from her pursuers. Their eager howls sent shivers down her spine, excited yipping haunting her no matter where she turned. Sweat tickled her neck, but Maka didn't stop to wipe it away, she couldn't. She was already running out of energy, she couldn't afford anything slowing her down, bringing them closer, letting them-_ _**No!** _

_Her chest hurt, heart beating erratically, muscles quivering. She'd never run this long before, this hard. But she couldn't stop. She couldn't. Her heart stuttered to a halt in her chest as she caught sight ahead of her and skidded to a stop, staring in horror. Her whole body burned, overheated, overworked, but a thin tendril of cold wrapped itself around her spine._

_It was a blind cut-off, the ground at some point previous having raised or lowered jaggedly, creating the overhang before her- creating the trap she found herself in. Maka jumped, abandoning the letter-opener and reaching for the edge above her head desperately, scarred hands scrabbling uselessly against the shifting, crumbling rock. At her back, the pack howled victory. She clawed at the ten-foot wall, cutting her fingers and palms without care, she couldn't feel the damage anyway. Possible infection didn't matter, cutting something vital on the sharp rock didn't matter, all that mattered was getting_ _**away** _ _! She_ _**had** _ _to get away._

_Teeth dug into her ankle and she screamed, dragged backwards. She turned around and lashed out, hitting the huge canine one the nose as hard as she could and making it release her with a yelp and back away. But it didn't go far, it wouldn't be long until the rest of the pack arrived._

_Maka pushed back away from it, hands slipping on both the loose scree under her palms and her own blood-covered hands, injured ankle away from her body. She stared at it- couldn't tear her eyes away. It was over, she'd lost- again. And soon, soon the rest of the pack would be there, be on her, teeth digging into her flesh._

_She curled up as she panted, losing control of her breathing. She heaved, her body unable to regulate itself. All she could see was blood- blood and the dogs._

_**Go away. Go away. Please just go away and leave me alone. Leave me alone.** _ _Over and over in her head, it sounded through her mind like a gong with every heartbeat. That's all she wanted at the moment, her only wish; for everything and everyone to just go away and leave her_ _**alone** _ _. But behind that shout, from a deep corner in her mind, was a darker whisper echoing through her veins that she tried to ignore._

_The howls of the pack closed in and the dog in front of her jumped back and forth, eager to attack, eager to taste her blood again. It lost its patience and lunged towards her. Maka screamed again and shuffled back._ _**Leave me alone!** _ _She couldn't go through it again, she couldn't!_

_Her hand brushed against something cold and she glanced back only for a split-second to see the jeweled, dagger-like letter-opener. In an instant her fingers curled around it and she closed her eyes as she brought her arm forward and lashed out. A sharp whine made her open them to see her attacker backing off, pawing at its bleeding snout and shaking its head._

_Maka's heart skipped a beat. All she saw was blood, on her hands, on the dog, in the sky; the sky was the color of blood, twisted black trees clawing at it. She'd made it bleed. For the first time in her life, Maka was on equal footing with the pack. She couldn't waste this chance, she couldn't! She desperately scrambled forward, upright, and the dog didn't even get a chance to look up at her before Maka was upon it._

_The furry body bowled over and she knelt above it, letter-opener raised. She closed her eyes and brought it down, another sharp, high-pitched cry sounding. The whisper in her mind grew louder, overtook everything, and before she knew it, Maka was raising her weapon and plunging it down again and again and again as she screamed. "Die, die, die! Just die and leave me alone!_ _**DIE!** _ _"_

_She looked around as the pack arrived, pulling her from the twisted and mutilated form below her. Maka felt it, the stickiness on her face, on her hands, her thighs, up her arms. She stood up, covered in blood, and faced the rest of the dogs._

_"I wish you would all just_ _**die** _ _!" And now... now she had the power to make that wish come true. Maka couldn't help it; the feeling bubbling in her chest. She threw back her head and laughed, "Do you want to play, doggies?" The showing of her teeth had nothing in common with a smile, "Let's play~"_

* * *

Maka shot upright in bed, panting harshly, and clutched her chest. Her heart beat so fast against her palm it felt like the flutter of a panicked bird. It wasn't blood or stone beneath her body, it was soft sheets, a comfortable bed.

 _It was just a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Just a-_  But she could feel it, the blood on her hands, covering her, the scent of it was everywhere, dirt and sweat and blood.

Her stomach lurched and her hand slapped over her mouth as the sensations rose up swampingly and Maka broke for the bathroom. She made it just in time to fall to her knees in front of the toilet before her stomach rebelled fully and she puked. She heaved again and again, unable to calm down, unable to properly breathe.

She rested her head on her arms and panted, coughing, as she tried to control herself. The cool of the tile floor was the only thing that grounded her as she knelt there and shook. Her skin was clammy and the white button-up she wore as pajamas stuck to her body, outlining scars in the dim light of the bathroom.

Maka closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing so she wouldn't heave again- or worse, pass out. Even her breaths were shaky as they passed her trembling lips, and Maka laughed at herself, smiling cruelly.  _Pathetic._  For all her thoughts and talk of putting the past behind her, there apparently wasn't as much distance as she liked to think, given that it haunted her every night.

Maka leaned back, arms hanging limply at her sides, and stared up at the light fixture, letting it fill her vision with off-white. She breathed in deeply through her nose, and out through her mouth, feeling her pulse settle back into something closer to a normal rhythm. She pushed up to her feet shakily, grabbing onto the edge of the counter when her legs nearly gave out under her. She almost didn't want to see, but forced herself to look into the mirror.

Almost as expected: she was ghastly pale, ashen, and the look in her own eyes made her uncomfortable, like she was still lost somewhere between the past and the present. Her ponytails were -almost mockingly- perfect, if completely limp from being sweat-soaked. She turned away and closed her eyes. She discarded her clothing, undid her hair, and stepped into the shower, turning the water on hot- almost too hot, and just stood there, letting it wash over her.

Maka ducked her head, putting her hair under the spray, the curtain casting her in shadow from the light.  _Calm. Breathe._  She opened her eyes and the world tilted, washed in red.  _Blood!_  It was on her, running through her hair, down her arms, spilling across the floor in a crimson tide. Her breath stuttered in her throat, vision tunneling. She opened her mouth to scream and choked on it, bending double and coughing.

Maka blinked and held her hand out, watching the liquid cascade over it. It didn't taste like blood, and now that she looked, it wasn't vivid enough to be blood, either. She frowned, it was- "Tomato juice?"

She leaned hard against the tile and shook with relief. She wasn't drowning in blood. It was just tomato juice; with her eyes closed she must have turned the wrong dial. Maka reached out and shut it off, turning the actual water on.

Maka rested her right hand against the wall to stop its shaking, watching as the water rinsed the red away.

She traced a line up her arm with her eyes. Pockmarks dotted her arm, small circles, some nearly invisible, from where canine teeth embedded themselves in her flesh. Her gaze drifted down to her legs, her ankle, where white, lightning-like jagged lines stood out sharply. And a little higher up, on the back of her leg, there was an ugly, puckered scar from where a small chunk had been bitten from her muscle. She still tended to get charlie-horses in that leg more often.

All she could see was flaws, all she could feel was blood running down her body. Her fingers curled into a fist against the porcelain and Maka leaned forward on, her elbows against the wall, as she dug her fingers through her hair and focused on breathing. On being  _here_ , in her bathroom at DWMA.

The water ran cold and Maka still didn't move. Not until the cold invaded her system, chilling her, numbing her; not until she began to shiver. She stepped out of the shower, dried off, and went back to her room, putting on a fresh set of clothes before falling backwards on the bed and looking up at the ceiling, not caring if her hair was still damp and ruining her pillow. It was a ceiling she was beginning to recognize. It looked different than the one in her parents' place, than Little One's old cave, different than the stars above their house.

It was a ceiling that could only be  _here_ , which meant that she was here. Maka turned her head to her door, open a crack and spilling light from the living room into her bedroom. She stared at it and let her mind go blank, not thinking of anything. Nothing was a relief. One she only had while her eyes were open, the moment she closed them, she'd be back in that place. So she watched.

It was a sound that drew her out of her state of blankness. One she was fast becoming used to. Maka got up and edged towards the door, but couldn't see into the living room proper from her position. She knew that, she knew she wouldn't be able to before she'd done it. She stepped out and closed the door behind her, pausing before moving forward; slow, silent. Her feet made no sound at all against the plush carpet.

She stilled behind the couch, eyes wide. Emotions clashed riotously inside her chest. She wanted to smile softly and grit her teeth and shout all at once. Crona was curled up on the couch next to Lady Medusa, her hand on his head. Maka didn't know what to feel. Crona hadn't come to her for comfort, he'd gone to Lady Medusa. She was being replaced again. But he was happy, and he was sleeping easily (and he was, if she said so herself, adorable). And as much as she hated the thought, Maka felt two shades of jealous: she didn't want Crona to go to Lady Medusa, not just because she wanted him to come to her instead, but because, she realized guiltily, she didn't want to share Lady Medusa- even with Crona.

She'd only just gotten a feel of what it was like to have someone look at her and see only her, and  _like_  what they saw. She'd only just gotten the chance to feel what it was like to have an adult focused entirely on her, on trying to cheer her up and make her feel better, and Maka didn't want that taken away so soon. She bit her lip, something burning deep inside her chest, and took a step back. Because as much as she didn't want to share Medusa, Maka would do  _anything_  for Crona, sacrifice anything. She didn't want to interrupt his special time with the golden-blonde.

She wouldn't do that to Crona, no matter what it cost her. Heart aching at the soothing melody their guardian was humming, Maka took another step backward.

"Come sit with me."

She started in place, shifting guiltily, until the head of blonde hair shifted back and she was pinned by burnished gold eyes.

"Maka, come here and sit with me."

She hesitated for another moment before giving in and moving forward. There was no more room on the couch, Lady Medusa was curled up against one armrest and Crona was spread out over the other cushions, fast asleep. She sat on her knees, her back to the sofa, on the floor in front of the older woman. Maka gasped softly as Medusa's hand came up and ran through her hair from her bangs back, pulling Maka's head to rest against her knees before repeating the motion.

"Something's bothering you." It wasn't a question.

Maka turned and hid her face against Medusa's legs, "Do you think all dreams are memories?"

"Are all your dreams memories?"

She pressed her eyes harder against the other blonde, until fractal patterns bloomed behind her eyelids, voice a bare whisper, "I don't know." Except for the strange ones she shared with Soul, she'd thought so.

Medusa didn't speak, running her hands through Maka's hair again, petting her. She began to hum, and Maka's hand came up, fisting in the material of the woman's soft black night dress, pressing close and trying to suck up all the comfort Medusa provided. Her breathing was sketchy again; it felt like she was holding back sobs. But Maka never cried. Not ever, she wouldn't let herself.

She didn't talk for a long time, just letting herself be soothed by the lullaby, by the one singing it. She pulled back finally, just a little, staring blankly at the black fabric before her, "I have dreams sometimes, and I don't know if they're real. There's a woman in them, a woman like... like you. I can't see her face, but I know her voice better than I know my own. She leans down to me, touches my hair- like you do. And she- she sings. She sings this song, and I know it's beautiful, but I can't hear the words, only the tune. And then she picks me up, h-holds me, and I feel..." she trailed off, buried her face against Medusa's legs again, "I feel safe." She turned her head, just slightly, to see the golden-blonde. Medusa had her eyes closed as she hummed, one hand resting on Crona's head, the other trailing over Maka's hair. "Do you think... do you think it's real? Possible? Do you think she existed? That someone really loved me, once? If all my nightmares are memories, then, maybe-?!"

Medusa's eyes opened and Maka instantly quieted, hiding herself again, fingers tightening, clutching pleadingly at the soft fabric she held. The humming slowed to a stop, "Yes, Maka. I believe she was real. Don't ever doubt it. You were loved  _dearly_ , I promise."

Her heart throbbed and she pressed her face tightly against Medusa's legs, letting out a quivering breath.  _She was real. ...I was loved..._  She shuddered violently. The golden-blonde couldn't possibly know how much those words meant to her, but Maka was so _so_  grateful to hear them, swallowing hard. She didn't say anything else, she couldn't. She just sat there pressed against Lady Medusa's legs, hidden in the darkness, as the woman in question began to hum again.

A beautiful song that had no words Maka could make out, but that, as fingers combed through her hair time and again, made her feel safe and loved.

363636


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to confirm this, but there will NOT be a chapter next week. Everyone remember the Naruto Seed Fic I mentioned a few chapters ago? I've been writing for that in my spare time and have all the way to the end of Wave pretty much done. So starting next Friday I'll start posting those chapters up at a rate of one PER DAY-- hopefully writing the next SE chaps at the same time, but writing them and editing these and then editing and posting both would confuse the hell out of me and you'd probably end up with Kakashi testing the Genin by accident instead of the next SE chapter. So I'll post those up until the we get to the end of Wave, then hopefully post the next SE the friday after that finishes.
> 
> If you happen to like Naruto, my battle-scenes for it are pretty interesting if I do say so myself.  
> (And yes, I am fully aware how evil it is to do this on two matching cliff-hangers. But I never said I wasn't evil~)

373737

Soul gave up on sleep and threw the covers off, getting up and sitting on the window seat. The night spread out in a blanket of darkness lit by multi-colored stars. The dusty ground of the desert beyond the edge of the city glowed purple-gray under the moonlight. Soul pulled up one leg and rested his arm on his knee, head leaned against the glass and his own reflection staring back at him.

Before his eyes, the image wavered to the memory of the previous afternoon.

_It was like a dream- like a nightmare. He'd been out on the town, wasting time by being as far from the school as he could get, out from under any and all forms of roofing. He'd caught Crona and Ragnarok coming back. It'd only caught his attention because where Crona or Maka was, you could count on the other one not being far away, and it was noteworthy that Maka wasn't within eyesight of her brother._

_He blinked, "Crona? Where's Maka?" He wasn't looking for her! He was just... sort of concerned about her not being next to the pinkette._

_"S-she... She's back there. Do you think you c-could... find her? Just to... make sure everything's fine?"_

_Well... it wasn't like he had anything else planned. And he was... curious about making sure all was well. Soul turned away without another word, realizing he hadn't even really needed the directions. He could_ _**feel** _ _Maka, a constant tug in his chest, like a lodestone. It seemed to happen every time he got within a hundred yards of her._

_He found his feet moving faster, a bubble of uneasiness rising. Was that from Maka? The streets passed by without notice, his eyes flicking to the sign for 'Deathbucks Caffe' and he rounded a final corner just in time to hear a high-pitched yelp. Soul's eyes widened and it felt like his feet fused to the cement below, tracking the small form that flew through the air. He winced as it crashed against a brace of steel pipes that fell with a deafening crash._ _**Maka... What-** _

_"M-Maka? Wh-what the hell?!" It didn't make sense. Maka wasn't- she wasn't cruel like this. She protected Crona like a lioness, she indulged Liz and Patty, shared lunch with him, she'd stood up and defended him against Donna's taunts her first day in class... This wasn't..._

_His mind went back to how calmly she'd told him how to kill and gut fish. The ease, comfort, around the dead rabbit. Maybe... maybe she just hated animals._

_She turned around and neither of them moved, caught in a silent limbo as clouds drifted through the amber sky overhead. Maka was the one to look away first, moving forward and walking past him without a word._

_Soul unfroze and spun, grabbing her wrist as she went by, "Hold it! Maka, answer me: What the hell was that about?! Why would you- what did that little dog ever do to you?"_

_Her hand fisted in his hold, and she stood still, not facing him. Soul honestly thought she wasn't going to answer him at all when her voice finally drifted back to him, barely a whisper, "I hate dogs. They're all the same."_

_"That thing barely even qualified as a 'dog'. It was more like a feather-duster with legs."_

_She turned to him and yanked her hand away, "It was going to attack me, Soul!"_

_"It was a_ _**puppy** _ _, Maka, it'd have taken a miracle for it to reach your shins and you're wearing boots besides."_

_Her head was lowered, "You don't understand! It was going to attack, Soul! They_ _**always** _ _attack! I'm not- I..." Maka turned and ran from him, and Soul was too shocked to follow her, his hand still reaching out for the empty spot she'd stood just a moment before._

He smacked his head against the glass to shake the image away. Who was he to say what was or wasn't Maka, anyway? How much did he really know about the girl?

He knew she was great at wilderness survival. He knew she could kick some serious ass. He knew that she was something of a loner.

Soul pulled his knees up and stared into the glass. He knew she was scared of anything happening to her brother. He knew that she was absolutely petrified of magic. He knew... he knew that she'd been hurt- hurt  _bad_ , by her parents.

_"My parents -mine and Crona's- didn't treasure either of us. We aren't even people to them."_

He knew her  _soul_ , knew that it felt like a deep, dark pool, cool and refreshing. And he knew other things, too. He knew that she smelled contrastingly like a thunderstorm and sunlight, he knew what her face looked like relaxed in sleep, the warmth of her in his arms. He knew the determination she'd felt when she'd dove into the lake to save Liz, the terror as she shook in his arms on the surface of the water.

_"You don't understand! It was going to attack, Soul! They_ _**always** _ _attack!"_

How much did he really know Maka? Maybe he didn't, in spite of all he did know, know her. But then, how much did he  _have_  to know her when he knew her soul?

Soul stood up and took a deep breath, then turned away from the window and grabbed a white sweat shirt from the top of his dresser and black pants from the foot of his bed. He changed and hesitated for a moment before grabbing his new headband from Maka and putting it on, pulling a few rogue white locks back through. He snagged his jacket and stalked from the room with a toothy grin.  _Well I'm not going to learn anymore by sulking in here._

He stopped at the end of the hallway and looked between the intersections. Soul closed his eyes and felt along that path inside he'd been treading so much since the camping trip. He could hear it, the sound of a single drop of water in a deep pool, ripples of bright blue spreading across the dark surface.  _There!_  Another set of ripples echoed back at him.  _Maka._

He opened his eyes and took off to the right at a run. Her soul was awake -which was surprising given it was hellishly early- but nervous since he'd touched it. She was waiting just outside in the courtyard, and he could feel her shift nervously from foot to foot as they -Crona was with her?- waited on... something.

Soul pushed the absurdly huge doors open and stepped into the pre-dawn light. The sky was still gray, brightening to pale blue to the east as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Maka shifted again, Crona beside her standing on his toes in a futile effort to look over Soul's shoulder. He turned just in time to catch sight Ragnarok rounding a corner from the opposite direction Soul himself had come.

He left the doors wide and went to stand by Maka, "We need to talk."

She bit her lower lip, then nodded, "In a little bit?"

Seeing Ragnarok's face light up as he caught sight of Crona, he snorted and replied with his own nod, smirking at the older student. The Second-Level was  _so_  obvious, and the blush Crona sported every time he was in the general vicinity wasn't exactly a study in subtlety, either.

"You came to see us off. I never expected you guys to show up. How did you even know we'd be leaving so early?"

"We d-didn't. But you said 'morning' so we just dec-cided to... wait."

Ragnarok grinned at the shorter boy, "That's... admirable determination, and I'm glad you weren't waiting long, at least. I'll introduce you to my team. ...Assuming they  _get their lazy asses out here!_ " The latter half directed back towards the school.

"Hey! I  _wanted_  to get this goddamned show on the road, but  _some_  of us thought it was 'rude' to interrupt your little heart-melting farewells."

Silver eyes narrowed, but failed to hide the slight darkening of Ragnarok's cheeks, "Envious, Giriko?"

A large male with hair a cross between dark blond and light brown stepped out with his arms behind his head, "Not a chance, I'm getting all the pussy I could ever want."

Ragnarok smirked, the expression pulling at his scar, voice low, "Shame it's a particular piece of  _ass_  you're after, then."

'Giriko' scowled at him and shut up, turning around to face the doors as a blond emerged with a cool smile, a pair of skull-shaped earbuds blasting music that Soul could hear from eight feet away. ...How was this guy not deaf?

He couldn't help himself, "How do you hear anything with those?!"

The blond turned his smile on Soul, "I read lips."

Soul was impressed- not just with the lip-reading, but the fact that he didn't shout his own words even though he couldn't hear the volume of his own voice. That took skill... or lots of practice...

Ragnarok's voice had them looking at him over the sound of eardrum-popping rock gospel, "This is my team: Giriko, Justin, and that charmingly creepy one that likes to sneak the fuck up on people is Lord Death's oldest son, Asura."

He felt a shiver go up his spine and Maka tensed next to him. They both whipped around in place to see a tall, creepy guy with bright red eyes- three of them. Soul -and he was betting, none of the other guys- were at all prepared for the extreme reaction that was Crona, who cried out and surrounded himself in a red\black oblong orb of...  _Magic?!_

Soul felt like an idiot as he stared disbelievingly at the rice-grain shaped thing even as Maka - _Maka?!_ \- slipped past him and reached  _through_  it, like it was viscous, "Crona! It's okay, come out."

Soul looked around just to make sure, and no, he wasn't the only one with a stupefied look on his face. Justin had his head tilted in that way that said  _'Oooh, interesting'_  without saying a thing. Creepy Guy, Soul's official nickname for 'Asura' narrowed all three eyes at them and Soul found himself stepping in front of Maka to hide as much of her with his body as he could without even thinking about it. Ragnarok looked just as shell-shocked as he was feeling himself.

After all, how often did your potential boyfriend-person use a skill reserved solely for the opposite gender? How often was Maka exposed to this... this orb of death that smelled overwhelmingly of blood and death that  _magic,_ which usually terrified her, didn't even seem to have an effect?

Asura's eyes on him felt like a bucket of ice-water over his head, and given what he knew of Maka and Crona, it wasn't unexpected for Crona to react extremely, but even 'extremely' had its limits. How could Maka freak over Nurse Medusa's magic and stand this- this... this?

Soul's arm came up to cover his mouth and nose, and still the smell of old blood almost bowled him over.

"Crona! Agh!" Ragnarok pulled back on the other side of the whatever-it-was, staring at the smoking-burned flesh of his hand before shaking it off.

 _Note to self: Do not touch the black orb of death._  Soul blinked as Maka leaned back, physically pulling Crona from inside of the thing, and didn't hesitate to reach forward and wrap his arms around her waist, pulling back with her. He felt one of the Second-Levels dig their fingers in the back of his jacket and help haul them all back, Crona's limp form emerging from the magic like it was reluctant to let him go. They fell back on the ground as the orb finally released the pink-haired teen and seemed to explode-  _inward_ , leaving -Soul was sure- all of them staring at Crona like he'd grown a second head as he knelt in Maka's arms.

And as if they had not just pulled her brother from a huge black ball of magical death, Maka smiled down at him, "See? Everything's fine. Now go say good bye to Ragnarok." Soul absently let her get up and without even looking, Maka reached down and took both his and Crona's hands, hauling them back to their feet.

Crona shifted in place shyly and looked over to the still-staring Ragnarok who continued to gape at him, "What-" The older teen enunciated, "-was that?"

"I-I can't control it very well yet."

The scarred Second-Level shook his head, "Are you taking the magic classes? The only male I know who can use magic is Free, and he has lots of issues with it because he wasn't born with it. You have to get training for that."

"I am! L-Lady Medusa is t-teaching me." Crona brushed his toes against the flagstones, "You don't th-think it's... weird, do you?"

Ragnarok reached out and patted Crona on the back -the pinkette not even flinching like his usual reaction to literally everyone else that wasn't Maka or Medusa- and smiled hugely, "Welcome to DWMA, where we like weird things and are utterly bored with 'normal'."

Soul leaned closer to Maka so he could whisper to her, "Yeah, we  _really_  need to have that talk."

373737


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No excuses. There's a Rags&Free sidestory\backstory one-shot posted up since yesterday as well, called The Way Out. *bows*

 

383838

Soul wouldn't lie, he was curious about Crona- but then, he was curious about everything relating to Maka, and the part of him wanting to know about the pinkette was a grain of sand compared to - _related to_ \- Maka.

He didn't protest when Nurse Medusa appeared out of nowhere to help Crona, he didn't protest, either, when Maka grabbed his hand and dragged him inside to an empty classroom. She closed the door behind them and rested her hands against it, not turning to face him. "Ask your questions."

There were so many swarming like bees in his mind, but, yeah, a select few were certainly a higher priority. "You okay? That... whatever the fuck that black orb was, it felt like Magic."

"You're... worried about me?" She sounded so confused.

Soul felt something inside him clench, and without thinking about it, he grabbed the arm of her coat and spun her around into his chest. "You idiot." She flinched but didn't struggle in his hold. "Of course I'm worried about you. We're friends. Friends worry about each other." Maka might not have known how to interact with people, she might have been blood-thirsty, and she might hate animals for all Soul knew, but even if it made him stumble, she was still his friend. Maka's distaste for small furry creatures didn't just erase her standing up in class for him that first day even after he'd made fun of her in the halls, didn't erase their laughter by the riverbank,  _certainly_  didn't erase their night spent under the stars sharing the pains of their pasts.

Maka wasn't perfect. How boring it would be trying to be friends with her if she was. Soul was hardly perfect himself, he was blunt and sarcastic, reactive and impulsive. He didn't hate animals, but he wasn't exactly keen on people beyond the small circle of friends he'd managed to make here at the DWMA.

"You never answered me: Are you alright?"

Maka kept her head down, unwilling to look at him. "I- yeah, I'm... fine. It's not... the same. Crona's power is like... emptiness to me. I don't feel anything at all. It smells like... home." Soul kept his mouth firmly shut. That black orb had smelled only of death and blood. "It's the difference between submerging my hand in water and touching a live wire. It doesn't hurt like other magic."

"Magic hurts you?"

"...Like it's ripping my soul open from within. The greater the spell, the greater the pain."

The words sent a ripple down his spine. How must it feel to be Maka in a school that catered to both Death Weapon Meisters and Witches alike? To live with Medusa, the strongest Magic-user in the school? "Maka..."

"Ask me something else."

Asking how she managed to live with and trust the Nurse would probably too much, that'd be digging far too deep for idle curiosity. "Tell me about your dislike for animals."

She hesitated in his arms, Soul could feel it, before she stepped away. Maka had yet to look up from the floor since they'd begun this little game. "I don't hate animals."

"You certainly hate dogs."

Her whole small frame tensed. "I... do. But I don't hate other animals. C-come with me."

She opened the door and, pausing for only an instant, reached back for his hand. Soul placed it in her gloved hold. "Where are we going?"

"To meet the Little One."

He frowned but let her pull him along. The Little One. There was that name again. Why did it sound so familiar? He'd promised to meet the one that name belonged to when they got back from the camping trip. "Maka?"

Her fingers tightened on his just slightly, eyes focused solely on the floor before her, refusing to look back at him as she led him deeper and deeper into the tunnels below the school. The architecture had always been classical with large open doorways and towering ceilings, but down here it was positively medieval, all stone walls and flooring. They passed torches that lit as they approached, and extinguished when they walked by.

The school above used plasterboard and drywall for the rooms and hallways; Soul knew this because he and Blackstar had been responsible for ruining at least three such walls. They'd even been told about it in class, it was so they could change the layout of rooms and halls if they wanted to. But down here... there would be no changing the floor plans for this section of the school.

...If they even  _were_ in the school still anymore.

"I don't hate animals."

His attention was pulled inexorably back to Maka.

"I don't hate animals," she reiterated. "I am a carnivore. All humans are. We kill to survive, we kill to eat; we have to. The weak fall to the strong, prey falls to predators. I am a predator. I don't hate my prey. I kill because I have to. I have to..."

"You don't have to kill things yourself, Maka." Or at least not anymore.

She slowed down and Soul pulled even with her. "I've always hunted, always killed. My parents made me, forced us to kill rabbits if we wanted to eat. If we didn't kill, didn't hunt, then we didn't eat. It's the natural order of things.  _But_... But other predators, other hunters... Their grace, their fight... I couldn't kill them, too. Maybe we were rivals for the same resources, but we were also... kindred."

Soul knew before he ever opened his mouth he was about to put his foot in it. "Dogs are predators, too."

Maka's hand spasmed around his and the shadows played over her expression in ways that made him shiver. "I will  _not_  be hunted. I will fight for my survival."

He soaked up the information like a sponge, adding the new bits of information to the grand puzzle that was Maka. Alone in that place with only Crona for company and their parents being the bastards they were, Soul could see Maka bonding with creatures fighting to survive just like they were. Maka was a fighter at heart, she'd have respect for worthy opponents.

They crept ever deeper into the depths of darkness below the school. Soul spared a thought to wonder if this had been the school originally, and the upper part they knew about only made recently for some reason. They had to be getting fairly close to their destination, if his estimate was correct, they had to be near the base of the school, near the bottom of the DWMA's infamous Endless Staircase when viewed from outside.

Two of the biggest doors he had ever seen stood in front of them and Soul looked up the grand silver slabs to where they disappeared into the darkness above that the torches couldn't reach. Maka pulled off one of her gloves and reached out to touch the doors, and Soul's head rang like a bell as she pulsed her soul wavelength through metal and the doors opened inward on their own.

Maka at his side, he stepped forward onto red and black tiled floor, fire from the torches fighting back the darkness valiantly. They managed to bring light enough to see the whole floor, but the roof towered so far above them that there wasn't a snowflake's chance in hell of the light ever reaching it.

Maka dug her teeth into her lower lip and let out a shrill, piercing whistle that echoed out into the dark, bouncing again and again off the stone walls. They stood in silence as Soul waited for something to happen. Had Maka kept a pet for all this time, and brought him here to see it as proof she didn't hate all animals? It had to be a predator from the way she'd been speaking. A wolf or something? No, wolves were probably too close to dogs for Maka to be comfortable with them. Something else...

A cat? For some reason, Soul could easily see a young Maka playing with and taming a Mountain Lion. It'd fit perfectly with her feline personality.

Wind blew fiercely and Soul threw an arm up to cover his face, the ground shaking under his feet.  _Wind, underground?_  He pulled away his arm and froze on the spot, the world tilting sharply on its axis. He hadn't been anywhere close, and nothing in his life ever could have prepared him for what stood before him.  _ **Not**_ _a mountain lion!_

Blood red eyes more scarlet than his own stared right through him, a great mouth opening towards him with razor teeth longer than his hand. His heart stilled to a panicked stop in his chest and Soul had never before been so certain he was about to die. More than when he'd met Shinigami-sama himself, here, now, he was staring death in the face. Cold sweat broke out across his body.

Soul knew fear, he knew despair- had watched his brother's life trickle away before his eyes and spent hours with his cold body in the same vehicle until he was dragged out of it. Nothing before, nothing ever  _could_  compare to the absolute terror pounding through his veins as those teeth aimed for him; and his body, with the instinct of a prey animal caught in the jaws of a far greater beast, refused to move. He couldn't even scream.

Soul couldn't bring himself to feel any shame for forgetting Maka was even in the same room with him- until she threw herself in front of him, right into the path of those deadly jaws. It was a cry that rose up from his very soul.  _ **MAKAAAA!**_

Maka put her hands on the snout of the huge dragon and it... stopped. She closed the great jaws and looked back at him, seemingly curious about what would make him soul-scream like that.

When his limbs finally unlocked, it was only to allow him to fall backward, shaking uncontrollably. The only indication that his heart was beating again was how it tried to force its way out of his throat at seeing himself and Maka so very close to dying. His mind still hadn't caught up.  _It-it-it..._

"Soul!" Maka was by his side in a moment, touching him, and Soul knew he'd died and this was some after-death hallucination. Maka hated being touched. Except... he seemed to be an exception to that rule seeing as how she loved to use him for her own personal pillow.  _How_  in the  _hell_  had Maka managed to stop those teeth from killing him? She had just reached out and, with absolute control, halted the beast in its tracks, as if it couldn't devour her like a jujube. Where could she possibly have gotten such strength? Soul had  _seen her_  casually close the dragon's mouth!

Things around Maka had always been strange. How easily she'd beaten every opponent sent her way, the casual ease with which she'd chained Ragnarok to their lunch table with nothing more than her hold on his wrist. Soul had known she was strong, but to accomplish what she'd just done without so much as blinking...

 _"Black Dragon Twins."_  When his mind finally caught up with the moment, Soul swayed and fell back, chest heaving.  _Holy shit._  It had been  _literal_! This thing had been below the school since Maka and Crona had arrived, and Liz and Patty had  _known_!

Never again. Never again would Soul ever doubt either Maka or Crona. If they had the courage to face off with this every day, had already fought Kishin, knew true battle... Never again would he question their abilities. (The difference was that he'd rarely ever doubted them before.) Ragnarok was an overprotective idiot.

When his senses finally returned to him, Soul found himself on the ground, his head in Maka's lap, and her worryingly leaned over him. ...And she wasn't the only one worryingly leaned over him. He yelped and scrambled backward at the huge black head staring at him with... concerned blood red eyes?

"Soul?"

Maka. Maka sounded worried about him, in that 'I don't know how to ask' way of hers. "Y-yeah?"

"Are you... alright?"

"T-totally cool."

"...But are you alright?"

Well, he wasn't dead. Seemed to still have all his parts attached. Hadn't really embarrassed himself aside from fainting like a pansy. Yeah, he was good. "F-fine." And stuttering like Crona. He'd still take that.

Maka tilted her head at him, and above\behind her, the dragon did the same thing. Even having been afraid for his life just minutes before (at least, he hoped it was only minutes he'd been passed-out\unaware), he had to admit that was kind of cute. He held out his hand and let Maka haul him upright, fully surprised that his legs didn't give out under him.

He was up, functioning, breathing; he didn't think Maka could really ask for anything more. And while his heart wasn't racing it utter panic anymore, he couldn't bring himself to step any closer to the giant predator. His stomach tightened uncomfortably just being as close as he was to those teeth. He looked up at the great creature, who he would have, up until a half-hour ago, sworn didn't exist. Smoky black scales and wings up top with a slate gray underbelly, it watched him. And on top of its head sat... a horn?

Soul couldn't hold it in anymore, he tossed his head back and laughed hysterically.  _Maka has a- a pet... unicorn-dragon!_  He bent double to try and catch his breath, but every time the thought popped back in his head it made him snicker.

"Soul?"

Right, he still hadn't answered Maka properly. He straightened up to his usual slouch and dug his hands into his pockets to hide their occasional tremors. "Yeah, I'm alright." He tilted his head towards the big lizard. "Little One?"

Maka smiled at him in that way she had no right to and nodded happily. "Yeah, this is the Little One." The dragon lowered its head and Maka leaned against it, rubbing the side of it and making the great beast purr and close its eyes. She leaned into it further and turned her head away. "I don't hate animals. I don't hate prey, and I don't hate predators. I just hate-"

"Dogs." He finished for her.

_"It was going to attack, Soul! They_ _**always** _ _attack!"_

_"I will_ _**not** _ _be hunted."_

"Because dogs aren't just predators, hunters, to you. They  _hunted_  you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Soul might not have been the brightest student in the school, but even he could put two and two together and come up with the right number.

Maka didn't answer him. But then, he hadn't really expected her to.

"Dogs don't just attack for no reason. They have to be rabid, or threatened, or ordered-" Maka flinched and Soul's eyes narrowed. "They're still animals, after all. They don't just do things without reason. So... who ordered dogs to hunt you, Maka?" As if he really had to ask.

She was turned to much that she was facing away from him. "They didn't have to be ordered. They'd been trained."

"And who trained them?"

Maka shook her head, turned around, and grabbed his arm. "I didn't bring you down here to talk about my parents."

He let her pull his hand from his jacket pocket. "What'd you bring me down here for, then? To meet the Little One?"

She shook her head. "To... to show you." Maka looked up into his eyes. "Fly with me."

"Fl- what? Fly? ...What?"

She smiled at him. "Let's go!"

"Maka, no. Maka!"

With a touch, the dragon's head pressed flat to the ground, baring the back of its neck. Maka hopped on and pulled him along behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him. "Hold on tight."

"To  _what?!_  Maka, Maka! This is a very bad idea!"

"Here we go!"

Soul didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her tightly as the great thing under them shifted. Soul never wanted something that big between his legs, but he didn't have much choice at the moment and clamped down with his thighs as enormous wings behind them unfurled and began flapping, wind whipping hurricane-like around them, making him squint his eyes and whipping at Maka's ponytails.

Soul was fairly certain his stomach had been left behind on the ground as the dragon under them tensed its whole body... and then launched itself, and them, into the air. "MAKAAAAA!"

383838


	39. Chapter 39

393939

His eyes were clenched shut and his nose buried in the nape of Maka's neck as they rose into the air in fits and starts that had his heart threatening to give up the goose at the certainty they were about to plummet to their deaths. He was going to die today, he just knew it.

_**Would you go out with your eyes closed?** _

Soul almost didn't believe Maka had just spoken to him through soul wavelengths, but that was unmistakably her voice. He'd survived that car wreck with eyes wide open, he could do the same here. If they were going to die, Soul wasn't going out with a goddamned whimper. He gritted his teeth and slitted open his eyes.  _Hell no. So uncool._

He got the feeling of Maka's smile through his soul without her having to look back over her shoulder at him. He straightened up -though his hold on her was still just as strangling- as they reached the top of the cavern and Soul saw a bright white opening ahead.

_**Hold on!** _

He might have snapped back with something snarky about how much tighter she wanted him to hold, exactly, if it hadn't been for the image\feel she sent along with the order. Soul braced his feet against the dragon's shoulders just in time as they shot forward towards the far-too-small opening. His grip might have caused Maka breathing troubles, but he didn't close his eyes as the dragon's wings snapped shut and they shot through the hole out into the bright morning sunlight.

He might have screamed as they spun around in midair and he felt thankful his stomach had been left on the ground, because the rest of his insides were more than happy to plaster themselves to his ribcage as gravity inverted itself. Soul couldn't bring himself to care if he strangled the great lizard with his legs as they spun, Maka laughing like it wasn't absolutely  _terrifying_. They came back around somewhat horizontally and the wings snapped open again, jerking them backward and it was only by dint of Soul's not expecting it that let his own head whip back on his neck in time to prevent a painful collision as Maka's smacked back into his chest.

His heart took a few moments of calm -relatively, given they still jerked up and down with each wingbeat- before it realized he wasn't dead and allowed him to breathe again. Soul's breath left him in a gasp and he leaned over Maka's shoulder. "Are you mad?!"

Maka tensed in his arms for a moment... then turned her head back to him and smiled so brightly she outshone the sun and made him blink.  _ **Would you care?**_

He paused at the question and really thought about it- for about a second. Just being with Maka was an adrenaline rush, everything about her was strange and odd and crazy, it was part and parcel with being around her; it was who she was. Maka was weird, and she was a little nuts, but she was  _different_ , like Soul was different, and a breath of fresh air in a life he thought he'd become bored of. He shook his head and smirked at her.  _Sanity is vastly overrated._

Maka didn't respond, but he felt the lightness in her soul resound off his own, and she leaned forward. Already anticipating the warning before she could get it out, Soul bent down over her and put his hands next to hers, her smaller feet pressing against his own as she gave an apparently non-verbal signal to the dragon that had them plunging down out of the sky in a no-holds dive, the ground far below rising up to meet them at an astonishing speed.

Even with his heart once again seizing in terror and his insides liquidated and resting somewhere near his knees, Soul couldn't help grinning as they fell. It was stupid, crazy, reckless. It was exhilarating, breath-taking, and it was terrifying in the most amazing way. Maka's breathing matched his and Soul could feel her excitement as surely as his own, and, even as experienced as she had to be, that thrill of fear.

Soul leaned to the side a bit to see Maka's face, and felt when their ride shifted to accommodate him, sending them into a spin as they hurtled towards the earth. His shout was equal parts surprise and  _awesome!_  The dragon- Little One, was listening just as much to him as to Maka. He could feel every shift of the muscles moving under his body as he tilted back. It was intuitive, easy, and just as terrifying as the initial fall. To have any measure of control over so great a creature...

Maka and he both held still breathlessly as the ground approached them, souls aligned and daring each other, neither wanting to pull up first. Soul damn sure wasn't if Maka wasn't, and she had to know her dragon's limits better than he did. She was either going to pull back first or run them into the ground- at which point it would be  _all her fault_  if they died. High on excitement, Soul thought that was fair; he could totally blame her if she got them killed.

It wasn't possible to estimate distances: the moment he had a number in mind, they'd already soared far past it in their rush earthward. All he knew is that it was a good thing they were over desert instead of the town, because they'd be giving any early-risers heart attacks if they looked up and saw the huge black bullet shooting toward their houses. Soul didn't listen to the voice at the back of his mind screaming he was about to die, that there was no way they were going to be able to pull up in time, that he was about to become part of a very large pancake on the ground. That voice had already been wrong three times today alone.

He felt Maka's smile like his own and he knew their distance to the ground was about to reach 'fucking suicidal' and she had  _no_  intention of pulling up at all. Soul wasn't usually a betting man- mostly because he sucked at it, maybe he sucked now, but he was calling her bluff and leaned down over her further. Far enough to reach her ear. "Bring it."

Maka gasped and jerked back against him, and Little One opened his wings with an audible ' _snap!'_  pulling her sharply against his chest. Soul's hold on the Little One's scales was true and he didn't get pressed back by the force of the stop. He untensed and leaned back enough to let Maka sit comfortably without being squished to their ride's neck, but in no way did he intend to give up his hold where it was.

He wasn't sure which he should be feeling more of: relief at surviving yet another death-defying stunt, or insufferable smugness that he'd won. On the grounds that the latter would only spur Maka into even greater feats of heart-stopping terror, he went with the former and smiled at her when she looked back, face pink from exertion and the cold of the rushing air.

Soul panted for breath as Maka gave Little One a signal and sent them back up into the sky. It was a strange sensation: the newly-risen sun beat down on them with all the heat even early morning late-Summer in Nevada promised, but the cool air around them and rushing against their bodies countered it. Near-deaths and chances of falling out of the sky at at least a couple-thousand feet aside, Soul had never felt more alive, more powerful, than riding on the back of the great black dragon, Maka in his arms sharing this moment with him.

Maka looked back at him and smiled. "Want to do a loop?"

As in... a loop-de-loop? Like, going upside-down in a giant circle? His immediate gut response was  _'Absolutely not I like my life very much thank you!'_. Soul clamped down on both that and the twisting in his remaining insides, then grinned back. "Sure!"

That little voice in the back of his mind cussed him out, devolving into unintelligible gibberish with a final ' _You idiot!'_  as Maka leaned fully back against Soul and his mind just shut off entirely. Soul's legs tensed as Maka's pressed back against them with her own. There was no warning of 'hold on', but then, Soul didn't really need one at this point. His fingers dug in ineffectually against solid black scales, and the whole world inverted itself.

Pressure built up and Soul let it out the only way he could: he laughed. The sky and ground traded places, gravity apparently decided 'fuck it' and just stopped working, and all he could do was laugh. Maka laughed with him, her joy at being in the air ringing clearly in his head, freedom like a breath of fresh air.

The world worked itself back around properly and Soul huffed out breath that fogged with the cold of high altitude. His skin tingled with the bite of the chill, but he didn't care, between his jacket and Maka's long black coat, they were prepared for a little chilly weather.

Or so he thought- until they managed to fly into a cloud.

Everything disappeared in white and 'unpleasant to breathe in' didn't even begin to cover it. Soul shivered as they came out the other side, and Little One must have agreed, because he gave a huge sneeze that nearly threw him and Maka clear off. "Bless you!" It was habit: someone had sneezed. Maka snickered at him and Soul stuck out his tongue at her. "You, too."

Maka shook her head.  _ **Do you want to land?**_

 _Yes!_  "No. Show me what you two can do." Soul felt the little voice -his sanity?- give up and throw up its metaphysical hands. Maka's smile sent a shiver of warning down his spine. She scooted forward out of his arms and stood up on Little One's neck like her feet were made of velcro. Soul gaped at her. She saluted him, then turned around and ran for the dragon's head- and didn't stop when she got there.

"MAKA!"  _Shit!_  Soul leaned over Little One's neck as the ash-blonde dove off the great lizard's head. Time to see just how much it understood. "Catch her!"

Soul swore he swallowed his tongue as the beast did a wingover and sent them plummeting like a comet, spinning in the air. Maka -the  _insane woman!-_  beamed at them as they shot past her and then spun around, Soul clinging desperately. Between one revolution and the next, Maka disappeared. Soul whipped his head around to spot her, and wasn't ashamed to admit he screamed like a girl when something touched his shoulder. He looked back to see Maka behind him, her scythe Manifested and keeping her locked to the Little One's neck as they continued to spin.

She held out a gloved hand.  _ **Come play with me.**_

Soul was all for excitement and fun- he owned a motorcycle, he'd let Maka drag him up into the sky and told her to give him her best shot. But this was beyond the pale for even the most extreme adrenaline junkie. It went completely beyond taunting death and right into outright suicidal territory. Soul wasn't a coward, but he wasn't suicidal, either, and it was a  _long_  way down...

_What if I fall?_

Maka tilted her head and smiled at him.  _ **Then we'll catch you.**_

And that's what it came down to, huh? Not how insane it was, or how dangerous, but how much he trusted Maka and her dragon to have his back. There was no expectation one way or another in her soul wavelength, just patient waiting.

Soul reached out and took her hand, letting her help him up.

393939


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notice: Next week I will be posting a chapter for Magefire instead of Silver.

404040

"You did really well for your first time."

"I am so glad you think that, because I am  _never_  doing that again." Soul threw his towel over his head and dried off.

They'd only finally been forced to land when the clouds had thickened to the point of an obvious oncoming storm. Most of which they'd flown through, of course. Flying through clouds did not have a drastically different outcome from flying through an actual storm, as it happened. They were both soaked down to the skin, but there was no time for warm showers or changing clothes because class started in approximately three minutes and they were ten minutes away from the classroom. Ah, the perks of having your pet-slash-transportation in the sub-basement. At least Maka or one of the others that knew about Little One had had the insight to have towels down there.

He peeked out from a fold of his towel to see Maka with her own towel around her neck, wringing out her pigtails and then using her towel to help dry her gloves. Soul wouldn't put it past her to wear them wet and blisters be damned if she couldn't get them dry in time. The ash-blonde was smiling as they left a wet trail behind them, and Soul could tell she didn't believe his claims in the least. Maka seemed to be under the mistaken assumption Soul was an adrenaline junkie or something. He hadn't the faintest idea where she'd gotten that idea from.

Maka snorted beside him.

"I'm completely serious, no hyperbole here. I am never riding that thing again. I think I'll avoid helicopters and airplanes, too."

"You loved it."

That was  _completely_ beside the point. He pulled the towel off his head and pointed to his hair, which was sticking up in spikes more severely than usual. No words were needed.

"That storm came out of nowhere. We're in Nevada, I didn't expect it. I still haven't learned the weather patterns yet."

"Yeah, well, the school tends to be an exception anyway," Soul conceded. Maka glanced at him questioningly and he elaborated, "The Witches. So much magic, plus the energy from the God of Death, does wonky things with the weather. We get rain, storms; all that good crap. One time we even had snow during summer a few years back, or so I've heard. Rained all through Christmas last year."

"Little One really liked you."

"Yay." Soul still wasn't completely sure that overgrown lizard wouldn't like him better in his stomach. But he would admit that at least Maka -and presumably Crona- was completely safe around the great beast. The dragon obviously adored her, and when they flew, it was with a single mind, perfectly in sync. It was... amazing to see. Soul could easily believe Maka's earlier claims: she didn't hate all animals.

Even during the camping trip, she'd always treated the wildlife with respect, from the fish they pulled from the river to the rabbits caught in her snares. He was glad she had a pet- a partner. He'd never had a pet of his own; his parents thought they were too much hassle and mess. Which probably contributed to a little of his awkwardness around Little One, but he maintained that anyone with self-preservation instincts would be wary around something that could swallow them whole and not notice their struggles on the way down.

Soul groaned as the class bell rang. "We're going to be so late."

"Will we get in trouble?" Maka hadn't been late to or missed a class since her first week.

"Stein will probably turn  _us_  into the lesson. Dissect us in front of the whole class and hold up our internal organs to show what makes us tick, then stitch us up and warn us not to be late again." He looked over with a half-smirk that fell from his lips as he saw Maka go white. "Kidding, Maka. Medusa would take  _him_  apart if he even tried." What had she gone through that that had actually seemed believable?

Maka took a shaking breath and attempted a trembling smile of her own. "R-right..."

They devolved into silence as they jogged through the empty halls toward class. It was hard to believe, but the halls in the upper, main portion actually seemed more ominous than their dungeon crawling had been. One expected lower levels and basements to have a certain creepiness, but for the normally busy hallways to be so silent -and dim thanks to the storm outside- it was downright eerie. Like they were the only living things in the school. Soul shivered.

"Vivisect."

Soul blinked and looked over. "...Huh?"

Maka swallowed. "Dissection is only done on dead things. If something's alive when you cut into it, it's vivisecting, not dissecting."

He tried to bite his tongue, really, but it just seemed impossible around Maka. "Which part freaked you out: the cutting into us, or the implication that Stein was going to turn us into zombies afterward?"

He didn't get the flinch he was expecting. Maka's lips twitched into a smile she apparently couldn't contain. "Being a zombie seems interesting." And that answered that question.

Soul shook his head, and smirked,"Have you met some of our classmates? We'd starve to death for lack of brains."

Maka let out a choked sound before breaking into giggles. She pulled ahead, which made Soul frown and increase his pace to match her. Their eyes caught and just like that, it turned into a competition. Maka might have been quick and limber, but Soul bet on him having more stamina and speed. He caught the edge of the wall as they rounded a bend, using it to turn and keep his momentum while Maka's feet slid across the tiled floor and nearly sent her right into the opposite wall. Soul rounded the final corner and slid to a stop just before the door to their class, waiting for Maka to catch up.

She came around the corner easier than the last and raced for him- her slick boots lacking the necessary traction to stop. Seeing the imminent disaster, Soul grabbed the back of her coat and hauled back just in time to keep Maka from slamming face-first into the classroom door. She yelped as her feet slid out from under her and they both went down in a heap. They stared at one another in surprise for a moment before Soul started snickering, which made Maka laugh, too.

They quieted and looked up when the door opened and Stein stared down at them. "So nice of you to show up. If you'd be so kind as to take your seats, we can continue with the lesson. ...Of course, you're free to use the floor if you find that more acceptable."

Soul coughed and stood up, helping Maka to her feet for once instead of the other way around. As passive-aggressive as Stein tended to be -and, okay, they maybe sort of deserved it- Soul was glad he hadn't spoken particularly loud and they were the only ones able to really hear. At least he hadn't humiliated them in front of the entire class-  _Like he had Donna..._  Ah, Soul had almost been worried there, wondering if his little voice would come back eventually.

They made their way inside, none of the other students except their friends really noticing their arrival. Soul wasn't surprised much by that- attention tended to wane when Stein talked about whatever poor creature he took apart during class. What did surprise him was that there wasn't some poor creature waiting on the teacher's desk to be dis-  _vivisected_. The lights were down, the only source of illumination the weak light coming in through the windows from the storm outside.

Soul noticed the huge, old-school boombox on the desk as he and Maka walked past to get to their seats. He had to wonder if this was another Stein-like off-the-wall lesson, or if Nurse Medusa had once again been set upon the mad scientist to reel him in and stick to the syllabus. His question was answered before they even made it to their chairs.

"Today we're going to learn about a very specific aspect of Soul Works." Stein leaned against the boombox, his ever-present cigarette hanging from his lips, and pressed Play. The room filled with a soft rock instrumental song. "Soul Wavelengths."

Immediately, a hand went up. "Haven't we already been working on Soul Wavelength all term?"

"That would be... completely incorrect. What you likely think of as Soul Wavelength work has in actuality been Soul  _Perception_ , which is the ability to feel others' souls and soul wavelengths. A very select few of you have been able to use their own soul wavelengths in any way at all. Communicating with your partner on the trip you took last weekend is scratching at the surface of it. Soul Perception works by opening up one's own soul and mind to the influence of others, like training one's ear to music." Stein's eyes narrowed and his glasses glinted ominously in the low lighting. " _Most_  of which you should already know. Those with a musical background are more likely to be better at Soul Perception, and there are those who are just naturally talented at it.

"Now that your ears and minds have been opened to the possibilities, we move on to the next step. Soul Wavelengths. There is a reason why we use sound-based words for so much Soul Work -wavelength, resonance- why music resonates so well with humans as a whole. The two are not unrelated. Soul presence, when filtered through the human mind, is translated as a combination sound\feeling. One can sense another's mood, general well-being, train of thought; they can even communicate. Beginning wavelength work is the sending of these feeling\sounds, usually focused more on the feelings than sounds, for lack of a better word." Stein reached over as the song came to an end and stopped the boombox. "Who felt that song resonated with them?"

Several people raised their hands. Stein looked them over and nodded.

"Just as different songs and genres can't be played at the same time without clashing, people with differing Soul Wavelengths can't be partnered together without chaos ensuing. Those drawn to the same kinds of music tend to get along. That's because a person will be drawn to the same style of sound\feeling that their soul naturally exudes. Those of you who like country music are more likely to get along, more likely to be able to work together better as part of the four-man teams you'll have to be in to move up to Second Level.

"Those who like a wide range of music are more compatible with a wider range of people at a given time, your soul swaying back and forth between one sound and another depending on your mood. Contrary to belief, your partners will have to be chosen even more carefully than most, so that you always have at least one or two you feel in sync with to maintain team consistency. Any questions?"

One at the very least. "Does this mean our teams are going to be picked just because of what music we like?"

Stein let out a cloud of smoke and tapped the ash onto the floor carelessly. "Of course not. That would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? Have any of you heard the saying 'everyone's got one song in them'? For Meisters at least, it's true. You won't be paired based on whether you like a genre of music, but how well you mesh with the music of your classmates' souls.

"Remember earlier when I mentioned people liking music that's similar to the wavelength of their own souls? That is what we'll be working on for the foreseeable future: finding that within each of you. Some of you will have a Soul Wavelength that sounds like rock and roll, some like heavy metal, some like a hymn. The key to successful teams is finding those that are compatible with each other's wavelength."

One student stood up in an apparent moment of educational inspiration. "Hick Hop!"

Stein smirked around his cigarette. "Exactly like that. Many of you will be surprised exactly what goes together and how. Hip Hop and Country for example. Pop and Heavy Metal. Rock and Classical. The key isn't to pair up with others that have the same tone of wavelength as your own, but to find those that share complementary ones. For now, though, your assignments will be figuring out what exactly your own soul wavelength sounds like.

"There is no set timetable for work like this. Some find it almost immediately, some take a very long time indeed. The best ways to go about discovering it is usually meditating in dimly lit places while listening to an array of your favorite music. Your soul will respond to tones it shares, and in this way you can suss it out a note at a time. An alternative would be to meditate in complete silence and indulge in some severe soul searching until you can hear the song within. Neither guarantees success, and there are several additional methods described in your textbooks, none the least of which is taking up an instrument, which will be practiced in an additional class for those interested."

Another hand went up. "Professor, you said the point isn't to find people with similar wavelength-songs, but does that mean there are people out there with the same song?"

"A good question. And the answer isn't precisely clear. Some would say that just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, they have a unique wavelength-song, but that isn't exactly correct. Even twins have different fingerprints. It's rare, but some people will have similar, nearly-identical songs. No one's is  _exactly_  the same, just the same as it would be different if two different people sang the same song: the result is still subtly different. Twins are no more or less likely to this particular development than anyone else."

"Is there anything special about such a situation?"

Stein's eyes narrowed, this time without the scary glinting. "There is. There's another situation, as well. The second happens when a soul song is incomplete on its own. When it finds the perfect complementary soul song to complete it, the two are called Resonant Partners. Such people are often drawn together before ever knowing about such things, and indeed, sometimes not at all. They have a term for it beyond DWMA: Soulmates. It is like calling to like, a missing piece falling into place, a harmony where before there was silence."

The class as a whole were quiet as they took in the significance of their teacher's words. Being in the EAT class, being a registered Death Weapon Meister, was a job, a career. They expected to have partners, maybe friends, plenty of acquaintances, but never once had the idea of love and  _soulmates_  been breached before. Rarity aside, they hadn't expected it  _at all_.

One of the older girls stood up in a rush. "I don't want my life -or my  _love life_ \- decided for me by some cosmic force!"

Stein pinned her in place with a frosted glare. "Sit.  _Down_. Now." She did. "Resonant Partners are no more destined for marriage or sex than any other two people. Sometimes they're simply lifelong best friends, sometimes siblings, or soul siblings. It isn't an inescapable fate. I'm a scientist, there is no predetermined destiny for anyone. Resonant Partners are merely compatible with each other down to the soul level. It's a bond, what kind is left to those involved. I will say this: There is nothing else in the world like it.

"It's knowing without looking that someone is there. It's being able to sit in complete silence and know everything the other is thinking without needing to Resonate or speak. It's another soul that sings only to yours, and the knowledge that no matter what happens, where you go, or what you do, you will always be needed, always be wanted. It is love unconditional."

404040


End file.
